David Pocock will captain the Wallabies in his first game back when they take on Samoa in a World Cup warm-up in Parramatta on Saturday.
Pocock’s last Test was on 17 November against Italy. He sat out the majority of the Brumbies’ 2019 Vodacom Super Rugby season and missed the Wallabies’ Rugby Championship campaign due to a calf injury.
He has since regained fitness and was named in Australia’s World Cup squad and will now lead the side against Samoa.
Regular skipper Michael Hooper, as well as Nic White, Isi Naisarani, Christian Leali’ifano, Samu Kerevi, Rory Arnold and Kurtley Beale have been rested.
In their absence, the likes of Pocock, No 8 Jack Dempsey, lock Adam Coleman, scrumhalf Will Genia, centres Adam Ashley-Cooper and Matt Toomua and fullback Tom Banks have all earned starting berths.
Brumbies flank Rob Valetini has been selected on the bench and will make his Test debut if he goes on as a replacement. Veteran hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau was also named as a substitute for what will be his last Wallabies Test after he was omitted from the World Cup squad.
Wallabies – 15 Tom Banks, 14 Dane Haylett-Petty, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Matt Toomua, 11 Marika Koroibete, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Will Genia, 8 Jack Dempsey, 7 David Pocock (c), 6 Lukhan Tui, 5 Adam Coleman, 4 Rob Simmons, 3 Sekope Sepu, 2 Jordan Uelese, 1 James Slipper.
Subs: 16 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17 Scott Sio, 18 Taniela Tupou, 19 Lukes Jones, 20 Liam Wright, 21 Rob Valetini, 22 Nick Phipps, 23 James O’Connor.
Photo: Chris Hyde/Getty Images
