Australians Noah Lolesio and Irae Simone will make their Test debuts against New Zealand in the Tri-Nations opener on Saturday and while the pair come under pressure Sam Cane, captain of the All Blacks, don’t see their inexperience as a weak link
The Brumbies duo entered the half-opening and inside center to replace injured James O’Connor and Matt Toomua in a back row where the seven players have just five more caps between them than Captain Michael Hooper (101)
The match in Sydney also serves as the third Bledisloe Cup test between the teams, with the Wallabies having to win to hope to win the series Cane said the All Blacks will put pressure on the Wallabies, but not because of their inexperience
« As with all test matches we will be looking to put pressure on the guys driving them around the park, » Cane said on Friday. « Their playmakers were 10 and 12, so nothing will change. We will try to put them under pressure »
Lolesio and Simone were ‘quality young footballers,’ Cane said, adding that players in their early days tend to rise to the occasion rather than let the team down.
“You throw that Wallabies jersey and go over there to do your best,” he said “I think most people who debut have a pretty good game because it’s the achievement of ‘a dream «
The All Blacks inside center Jack Goodhue may have a bit more spice in his first collision with Simone, who he played with at Auckland High School. « I think it will be good to have the right to brag about my midfielder partner, « said Goodhue » There will undoubtedly be an Instagram pic after «
Former World Cup captain Stirling Mortlock ranks Wallabies coach Dave Rennie’s bold choices as ‘right up there’ with the boldest selection Australian rugby has ever seen
« Especially given the context We haven’t won the Bledisloe Cup for almost 20 years, » Mortlock told AAP « And this year it’s on the line and we picked two newbies at 10 and 12 years old, so it’s right up there That said, Lolesio is a great player, an exceptional talent. I would have loved to see him bloodied in the first two [games in the series] «
Australia’s last three 10-12 combinations to debut against the All Blacks have all been in defeats for the Wallabies, including the most recent – Kevin Bourke and Neville Emery in 1947 – when the All Blacks won 27-14 at SCG
Since Wally Lewis and Dooney Hayes helped Australia to a 25-11 victory over New Zealand at SCG in 1934, a pair of untested midfield tests have been successful for the Wallabies in the » a meeting in Bledisloe Cup
Hooper, however, is unfazed « I’m not focused on the story, I’m focused on tomorrow night, » Hooper said after the Wallabies captain’s run « And we have a really good opportunity in Sydney. We have a really good and exciting young team playing great football »
Lolesio’s international debut is even more surprising as he has only played nine Super Rugby games This also does not concern Hooper
“He’s a confident player,” said the Wallabies skipper “Looking at him from a distance in the Brumbies outfit he has been very good at the way he manages himself and the team So I was impressed with him there
« But probably more, he had a bench place in Wellington and didn’t get along Then he left the squad [in Auckland] and now he’s straight into the starting squad Everyone in our team is a great story and it is no different «
The Wallabies haven’t hosted the Bledisloe Cup since 2003 and, led 1-0 in the four-game series after losing 27-7 in Auckland and a 16-16 draw in Wellington, must win on Saturday to keep their 2020 hopes alive The last game is in Brisbane on Saturday week
Follow the Tri-Nations opener between Australia and New Zealand with the Guardian’s live blog on Saturday Kick-off is at 7:30 AEDT / 8:30 GMT / 9:30 PM NZDT
New Zealand National Rugby Union Team, Australia National Rugby Union Team, Bledisloe Cup, Brumbies, The Rugby Championship, Dave Rennie
World News – UA – The All Blacks will target the beginners of the Wallabies in the Opening of the Tri-Nations
