Wallabies sense Wright time to attack Los Pumas
Murray Wenzel |
Tom Wright is licking his lips at the prospect of more afternoon attacking football as the Wallabies’ settled backline go toe-to-toe with a slick Argentina.
Australia face Los Pumas in San Salvador on Saturday afternoon (Sunday morning AEST), at altitude in the north-east of the country near Chile and Bolivia.
While wary of the host’s ability to pile on fast points – they lost 67-27 in Santa Fe two years ago – the Wallabies have arrived in rare offensive form of their own.
In their five Tests played this season, their lowest total was 26 in a loss to France, while twice putting on more than 50 in a three-game winning streak.
A 56-17 defeat of Japan in Townsville a fortnight ago produced eight tries, remarkably all from forwards, in an afternoon timeslot conducive to running rugby.
Wright will start at fullback with wingers Harry Potter and Max Jorgensen outside him for a fourth-straight Test.
“We don’t want to be playing risky football, but we want to play the kind of football that suits the style of players we have,” the ACT Brumbies star, ahead of his 49th Test, said.
“With the dryer track comes more enticing conditions to run the ball, but Test football is about getting that balance right.”
Coach Les Kiss thought his team had corrected that balance in Townsville after pushing the limits in trickier conditions on a steamy Osaka night a week earlier.
Winger Dylan Pietsch’s Test-week injury prevented him from making any changes on the flanks.
But the coach has continued to massage his forward pack, offering prop Isaac Kailea a chance to start two years after the 26-year-old’s last Test.
“You never really know when your next shot will be, and it’s been a while,” Kailea, who along with this weekend’s teammates Hunter Paisami, Josh Canham and Rob Valetini hail from Melbourne’s Harlequin Rugby Club.
“Hopefully I can repay the faith.”
Kiss left in-form bulldozer Taniela Tupou and his good mate and second-rower Lukhan Salakaia-Loto out altogether, offering lock Lachie Shaw an opportunity off the bench.
And skipper Harry Wilson has been rested, with Tom Hooper to start in the backrow alongside Fraser McReight and Valetini.
“It’s something I really do appreciate and hold close to my heart,” prop Allan Alaalatoa said ahead of his seventh time as skipper under three different coaches.
“Go out, lead by example by putting my best foot forward.
“It’s a new coaching group, we’re still trying to learn a lot about each other, but they’re giving boys opportunities.”
AAP