Wallabies lose top lock
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: The Wallabies have lost the services of one of their key players ahead of the final Bledisloe Cup Test of 2018.
Rob Simmons will start at lock alongside Izack Rodda after groin soreness forced Adam Coleman to sit out.
Meanwhile, Israel Folau will make his first start at centre on Saturday as Wallabies coach Michael Cheika opted to experiment in the third Bledisloe Cup Test against New Zealand in Japan.
Reece Hodge’s ankle injury has forced a reshuffle to the Wallabies backline with Folau shifting to the No.13 jersey and Sefa Naivalu named on the wing for his first Test since playing Italy at Suncorp Stadium in June last year.
Naivalu will be looking to add to his remarkable strike rate in the Gold jersey, with four tries in seven Tests despite featuring predominantly off the bench.
Veteran Sekope Kepu is in line to play his 100th Test after being named amongst the reserves and will become the first prop in Wallabies Test history (and ninth Wallaby overall) to reach the century mark, should he run on at Yokohama Stadium on Saturday.
Kepu is joined on the bench by back rower Jack Dempsey, who hasn’t featured at Test level since the third Bledisloe Cup fixture last year because of a hamstring injury.
Dempsey was man-of-the-match in a memorable display against New Zealand, when Australia snuck home 23-18 in front of a packed house at Suncorp Stadium last October.
Samu Kerevi is also set to make his Test return after nearly four months out with a biceps injury suffered in the final game against Ireland at Allianz Stadium in June.
Australia: 15 Dane Haylett-Petty, 14 Sefa Naivalu, 13 Israel Folau, 12 Kurtley Beale, 11 Marika Koroibete, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Will Genia, 8 David Pocock, 7 Michael Hooper (captain), 6 Ned Hanigan, 5 Rob Simmons, 4 Izack Rodda, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Folau Faingaa, 1 Scott Sio.
Replacements - from: Tolu Latu, Sekope Kepu, Taniela Tupou, Rory Arnold, Jack Dempsey, Pete Samu, Nick Phipps, Samu Kerevi, Tom Banks
Date: Saturday, October 27
Venue: Nissan Stadium, Yokohama
Kick-off: 15.00 (17.00 AEDT; 19.00 NZ time; 06.00 GMT)
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant referees: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa), Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa)
TMO: Marius Jonker (South Africa)