One game Wallaby captain Liam Wright is set to miss out on the second Test against Wales in Melbourne on Saturday.
The Roar understands that Wright will not be in the 23 for the match at AAMI Park – although it’s uncertain if he suffered an injury before coming off the field in the 56th minute of the first Test win in Sydney.
His replacement last Saturday – Brumbies loose forward Charlie Cale – is understood to be in the starting team.
The captaincy will go to James Slipper – who was co-captain with Michael Hooper at the start of Eddie Jones’ reign before being jettisoned by the ex-Wallabies coach.
That decision is partly explained by Joe Schmidt’s decision to keep Taniela Tupou in the starting line up and use Allan Alaalatoa, a prime captaincy candidate, from the bench.
Schmidt will name his team around midday on Thursday for Saturday’s Test, with minimal other changes expected from the team that won 25-16 in Sydney.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images for ARU)
Wales are sweating on the fitness of their best player in Sydney – No. 8 Aaron Wainwright.
Wainwright, who won his 50th cap in the series opener, suffered a leg injury and was forced off during the closing stages.
“We are waiting for a further assessment,” Wales assistant coach Rob Howley said.
“He was outstanding (in the first Test). His carries, his footwork, he got us on the front foot on many occasions.
“We are waiting for that assessment to come back from the medical team.”
If Wainwright is ruled out it would be a major blow for Wales head coach Warren Gatland, who has overseen eight successive Test defeats.
Wales have not won a Test match since beating 2023 World Cup pool-stage opponents Georgia, and Gatland’s team are edging closer to the record run of 10 losses in 2002 and 2003 when his fellow New Zealander Steve Hansen held the coaching reins.
Full-back Liam Williams, wing Josh Hathaway and prop Gareth Thomas also suffered knocks during the Sydney encounter, with Gatland likely to name his starting line-up on Thursday.
(Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)
“Liam Williams hopefully will be available for selection. We are waiting on him,” Howley added.
“Gareth Thomas had a bit of a dead leg, he was back in training today. Josh Hathaway is being monitored, he took a bump on his arm.
“In terms of those players coming off, fingers crossed they will be available for selection.”
The Sydney setback was Wales’ 12th defeat in a row against the Wallabies on Australian soil, having not won there since 1969.
But it looks as though Gatland will keep changes to a minimum unless his hand is forced by injuries.
“It is an important game,” Howley said. “There is huge disappointment and frustration within the camp. We want to give the best version of ourselves.
“Everyone is hugely motivated. It is how you come out of a Test match when you have lost.
“I thought we really did well to come back into the game at 18-16. We can talk about the experience and the learning, of course we can, but we need to start winning Test matches.”
(With AAP)