Skip to content

Australia make four changes for Melbourne Test with England

Michael Cheika is looking for his side to bounce back in the next Test against England
Image: Australia coach Michael Cheika makes four changes for second Test in Melbourne

Australia make four changes for Saturday's second Test against England in Melbourne, including a new-look front row.

There is also an enforced change at No 8 where Rebels flanker Sean McMahon will earn his eighth cap, taking over from David Pocock who has an injured left eye socket. It will be McMahon's first Test start on home soil.

Also coming in are lock Sam Carter, along with front-rowers Sekope Kepu and James Slipper.

Carter will wear the No 5 shirt, as the Brumbies star returns to collect his 13th cap and first of 2016.

All four changes were made to the pack while the backline, which was involved in all four of the home team's tries, remains unchanged.

Sean McMahon: Makes first Test start on home soil
Image: Sean McMahon: Makes first Test start on home soil

Australia coach Michael Cheika said he will not select a replacement for Pocock, who will miss the remainder of the three-Test series.

Slipper and Kepu will join skipper Stephen Moore in the front row, with the experienced trio boasting more than 240 Test caps between them.

Also See:

The duo take over from Scott Sio and Greg Holmes with the former not even among the possible replacements following a disappointing first Test in Brisbane. Sio was yellow-carded in the first Test for persistently bringing the scrum down.

Also sidelined from last week's starting XV is Rob Simmons who has failed to overcome a back injury.

Among those in with a chance of being named on the bench is Liam Gill who last played in a win over Ireland in 2013.

Cheika, who will finalise his replacements on Friday, said: "Based on last weekend's performance, we decided that we wanted some new combinations for Saturday's game.

"Sean never takes a backwards step while James and Sekope add plenty of Test match experience.

"Obviously, with this selection, we're looking at a five-three split on the bench as opposed to the six forwards we had last weekend."

And Cheika insists his Australia players will have to deal with England's tactics of antagonising their opponents: "I'm not concerned about physicality, but we've probably got to deal with the niggle a bit better. There was a lot of niggle off the ball in Brisbane.

"That's not physicality, that's something else. Niggle's the stuff you do off the ball.

"If someone pulls you down, you can't whack a bloke because you know you're going to get caught. So, I'm not doing niggle. That's not our go. We've got to play more physically but I'm not concerned about that.

"We've just got to improve the level we showed last week because, obviously, last week's level was not enough. That's pretty clear by the scoreline.

"This week's level has to be higher but I'm not getting into the niggle game because that's not our go.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not against it. If that's your strategy then that's your strategy, good on them.

"We have our idea of how to deal with the niggle but this is not our place to talk about it."

"A lot of people have said that we've been quiet. You talk about sledging for example, I'll sledge you if I'm going to be able to go on the field and back it up.

"For me that's short-term motivation. There will be some things said about us from the sidelines, but we want to build some substance so that we're a consistent team for the long haul.

"That's what we're about. I want to be bulletproof to that stuff."

Scott Sio fails to make Michael Cheika's squad for this week's clash with England
Image: Scott Sio fails to make Michael Cheika's squad for this week's clash with England

England won the first Test 39-28, with the final game of the three-match series taking place on June 25 in Sydney.

Australia: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Dane Haylett-Petty, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Samu Kerevi, 11 Rob Horne, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Nick Phipps, 1 James Slipper, 2 Stephen Moore (c), 3 Sekope Kepu, 4 Rory Arnold, 5 Sam Carter, 6 Scott Fardy, 7 Michael Hooper, 8 Sean McMahon.

Replacements (from): Tatafu Polota-Nau, Toby Smith, Greg Holmes, James Horwill, Dean Mumm, Wycliff Palu, Ben McCalman, Liam Gill, Nick Frisby, Christian Lealiifano, Luke Morahan.

Around Sky