Injuries shake up Wallabies' flyhalf options ahead of Rugby Championship
rugby union
Tom Lynagh 's concussion and Noah Lolesio 's neck injury leaves utility Ben Donaldson, 35-year-old James O'Connor or rookie Tane Edmed as Australia's flyhalf options for Rugby Championship tests in South Africa.
Rugby Australia unveiled a 35-man squad Thursday for the two tests against the World Cup champion Springboks, making injury-enforced changes to the squad that won the third test in a 2-1 series loss to the British and Irish Lions.
Edmed went on as a replacement in his one and only test to date — a narrow loss to Ireland last November — and wasn't in the Wallabies squad for the series against the Lions.
O'Connor, a 64-test veteran who played for the Super Rugby-winning Crusaders in New Zealand last season, was in the wider Wallabies squad preparing for the Lions series but not selected for test matches. He hasn't played for Australia since 2022.
Donaldson went on as a replacement for Lynagh in the third test after the 22-year-old playmaker sustained a concussion from an illegal tackle from Lions hooker Dan Sheehan that resulted in a four-game suspension for the Irishman.
An injury to Jake Gordon has delayed veteran scrumhalf Nic White's international retirement. White, regular finisher Tate McDermott and uncapped Ryan Lonergan were the scrumhalves picked for the squad to take on South Africa in two tests on Aug. 16 in Johannesburg and Aug. 23 in Cape Town.
Lonergan is one of three uncapped players in the squad, along with winger Corey Toole and former New Zealand All Blacks prop Aidan Ross, who joined the Queensland Reds from the Chiefs following the Super Rugby final.
Backrower Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, who played in three tour games against the Lions but wasn't part of the Wallabies set up, has returned to the top squad.
'It's pleasing to be able to keep the core of the group together, while also leaning on some depth and fresh bodies,:" Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt said. "We're very conscious of how difficult it is going to be, playing South Africa on their home turf over two consecutive weekends.
'The group has made some positive steps throughout the start of the test season but we all know there is a lot of hard work ahead of us.'
Australia squad:
Forwards: Angus Bell, Nick Champion De Crespigny, Nick Frost, Langi Gleeson, Tom Hooper, Fraser McReight, Josh Nasser, Zane Nonggorr, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Billy Pollard, Tom Robertson, Aidan Ross, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Will Skelton, James Slipper, Carlo Tizzano, Taniela Tupou, Rob Valetini, Jeremy Williams, Harry Wilson.
Backs: Ben Donaldson, Tane Edmed, Josh Flook, Len Ikitau, Max Jorgensen, Andrew Kellaway, Ryan Lonergan, Tate McDermott, James O'Connor, Hunter Paisami, Dylan Pietsch, Joseph-Aukuso Sua'ali'i, Corey Toole, Nic White, Tom Wright.
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