Wallabies co-captain James Slipper is a doubt for their Rugby Championship opener against the Springboks at Loftus Versfeld this weekend.
The veteran prop suffered a training injury on Tuesday this week and is now a major doubt for Eddie Jones’ first game back at the helm of the Wallabies.
Another Brumby flown in
Slipper’s Brumbies team-mate Blake Schoupp has been flown in as injury cover should the 34-year-old not recover in time for the battle in Pretoria.
In typical Jones fashion, the wily coach had a humorous way to describe Schoupp as the young star looks to settle into the set-up as quickly as possible.
“He is built like a brick s***house isn’t he?” Jones said.
“He is perfectly built to be a prop.”
Should Slipper not recover, Matt Gibbon could start with fellow prop Allan Alaalatoa in the front-row. Powerhouse Taniela Tupou has been sidelined with injury for some time and will likely only take up a bench role if anything. The same applies to Angus Bell.
Wing decision
Jones faces one key decision in his starting backline as to who will join Marika Koroibete on the wings against the Springboks. The weigh-up is between Mark Nawaqanitawase and Suliasi Vunivalu.
Nawaqanitawase is the form player of the two and burst onto the Test scene last season but Vunivalu is loaded with X-factor and is a rugby league convert – the type of player Jones loves to call on.
Jones says he will follow his gut and suggested that whichever of the two wings does not start this week will likely start against Argentina.
“Marika [Koroibete] probably has one spot at the moment and then Suli and Mark fight out over the other one,” Jones told Stuff. “Whoever plays in this Test, it will be more of a gut feeling that he’s right for this Test.
“Because we’ve got back to back tests with big travel, the likelihood is that the other one might play against Argentina.”
Outside of that decision the backline seems pretty set with Tom Wright expected to start at full-back with Samu Kerevi and Len Ikitau in the centres – Reece Hodge is believed to be the player who will step in for Kerevi if he has not recovered from injury.
Meanwhile, veterans Nic White and Quade Cooper are likely to be the half-back pairing as the Wallabies search for their first-ever win at Loftus Versfeld.
READ MORE: Five storylines to follow ahead of the Rugby Championship clash between South Africa and Australia
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