Retiring White earns Wallabies recall for farewell Test
White announced his impending retirement on Thursday before Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt revealed several team changes for Saturday night's third Test at Sydney's Accor Stadium.
The 35-year-old will partner Tom Lynagh in the halves, while Len Ikitau and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii are again selected as the midfield pairing for the sixth straight Test.
Thank you Whitey 🙌Wallaby No. 875 Nic White will call time on his Test career after Saturday's final Test of the Qatar Airways British & Irish Lions Series.Read more - https://t.co/JO0hBOVlVw#Wallabies #LionsTour2025 pic.twitter.com/l7g0aUSCy0
— Wallabies (@wallabies) July 31, 2025
Dylan Pietsch replaces the injured Harry Potter on the left wing with the Wiradjuri man set to play for the first time in the special edition Wallabies jersey he designed for this year's Lions series.
Pietsch joins 20-year-old Max Jorgensen, who will play his first Test in his home city, and Tom Wright in the back three.
Tighthead prop Taniela Tupou will make his first appearance in a gold jersey this year, replacing the injured Allan Alaalatoa, and will partner with hooker David Porecki and James Slipper, who will play his 147th match for his country. Tom Hooper comes into the starting side at blindside flanker, for Rob Valetini, who is being managed.
Hooper will link up with Queensland pair Fraser McReight and skipper Harry Wilson in the back row.
Billy Pollard has been named as replacement hooker and will combine with Angus Bell and Zane Nonggorr in the substitute front row. Western Force skipper Jeremy Williams is the lock cover with Langi Gleeson selected as the back-row replacement. Tate McDermott, after coping incredibly well on the wing in last week's 29-26 series-deciding defeat in Melbourne, will again bring energy off the bench, along with Ben Donaldson and Andrew Kellaway who round out the match-day 23. "The squad was certainly deflated after the gut-wrenching end to last week's Test in Melbourne, but they have started to gather momentum in the back half of the week and will be ready to go again on Saturday," Schmidt said. "The support in Brisbane and Melbourne helped to lift the squad, and I know the support this weekend in Accor Stadium will again help to lift the players in the high-pressure moments that we know are coming."
The Wallabies are looking to avoid becoming the first team in more than a century to suffer a 3-0 series whitewash at the hands of the Lions in Australia.
WALLABIES SQUAD FOR THIRD LIONS TEST:
James Slipper, David Porecki, Taniela Tupou, Nick Frost, Will Skelton, Tom Hooper, Fraser McReight, Harry Wilson (capt), Nic White, Tom Lynagh, Dylan Pietsch, Len Ikitau, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Max Jorgensen, Tom Wright. Reserves: Billy Pollard, Angus Bell, Zane Nonggorr, Jeremy Williams, Langi Gleeson, Tate McDermott, Ben Donaldson, Andrew Kellaway.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
34 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Hawks coach confident injury-plagued star will be back
Sam Mitchell has pointed to Jesse Hogan as an example of what is still possible for injury-plagued Hawthorn star Will Day. Day has suffered more bone stress in his navicular, ending the midfielder's AFL season. With Josh Weddle already sidelined for the rest of 2025, Day's latest foot problem is a fresh blow for the Hawks as they battle to stay in the top eight. They face a massive test on Thursday night against Collingwood, who similarly need a win after dropping three of their last four games. While navicular injuries can be notoriously tough to heal and have ended AFL careers, Mitchell is upbeat about Day overcoming his foot problem. He noted Hogan has overcome navicular injuries to star at GWS. You'd never know he was gone. Will Day with a hanger! 😭#AFLHawksBlues — Hawthorn FC (@HawthornFC) July 24, 2025 "I'm 100 per cent confident that he'll be back and back consistently," Mitchell said of Day. "He's a pro and our medical team will work really hard ... Jesse Hogan's had some similar stuff in his career and he's obviously put together a pretty good few years." Mitchell added Day is coping well with this latest setback. He managed only six senior games this season. "He's not too bad, he'll be on the bench for us tomorrow night, so he's in a pretty good head space," Mitchell said. "His navicular site, where he had the surgery, looks pretty good. He has some bone stress in some other parts of his foot - it obviously changed the mechanics of his running. "It's an issue for us, trying to get him back out and ready for the season ... but he's not back to square one. "He's still a fair way through his process of getting back." While Hawthorn are coming off a loss to Adelaide, Mitchell said they are making progress as they try to match it with other top-eight heavyweights. "We want to put ourselves into a position where we play big games against big clubs and we play in a style that can compete and win those games," he said. "Now, can we compete in those games? Absolutely. Everyone watched our game against Adelaide last week and said that's two pretty good teams going at it. "You don't throw the baby out with the bath water and say we're not good enough. We need to refine a couple of things in our game and handle those moments. "You look at Collingwood's last month - it's pretty easy to say they've lost three out of four, but they've played pretty good footy. Both teams are in pretty good form without getting the points."
Yahoo
34 minutes ago
- Yahoo
AFL fans react as Matthew Pavlich opens up on 'big decision' with wife
Matthew Pavlich has revealed he'll relocate from Perth to Sydney with his wife and kids after he was announced as the Swans' new CEO on Wednesday. A Fremantle great and former captain, Pavlich played 353 games for the Dockers and spent his entire career in the west. He settled down with wife Lauren in Perth and started a family, with the couple having three kids together. But Pavlich will now uproot the family and relocate to Sydney, which he described as a "big decision" on Wednesday. The 43-year-old will take over as the Swans' chief executive at the end of this season, when Tom Harley departs the role to become the AFL's chief operating officer. Since retiring in 2016, Pavlich has embarked on a successful media career as a commentator and news reader, and also has extensive knowledge of the business world. RELATED: Chris Scott clips Craig McRae over divisive act in press conference Staggering claim about Max Gawn after Simon Goodwin's sacking He'll now make the 4000km move to Sydney with his wife and three children. "The Sydney Swans is a highly successful, well respected and well managed football club," Pavlich said on Wednesday. "It is a big decision to uproot the family and bring them across the country to Sydney, but I am thrilled to be offered the opportunity to lead this great and highly professional club. I'm looking forward to working with the club's leaders and playing groups to continue the success of this iconic club over the coming years." Pavlich had previously been linked to the role of AFL Players Association boss, after Paul Marsh departed in May. He had previously served as AFLPA president during his playing days. Swans chairman Andrew Pridham said he's "delighted" to appoint Pavlich as chief executive, lauding his wealth of football experience as a player and administrator. "Together with his business pursuits in the sports and entertainment industry, Matthew has stayed involved in the game since his retirement from playing in 2016 and is widely respected across the industry," Pridham said. "We believe he will fit in well with the Sydney Swans culture and bring his own unique insights and perspectives that will benefit the club moving forward." AFL world reacts amid news about Matthew Pavlich Pavlich is the co-founder of talent, technology and brand partnerships business 'Launchd', in which he served as Executive Chairman. He also played an integral role in technology, data, and creative services company 'PMY Group'. 'Matthew seamlessly transitioned into business and media, working within his companies, as well as on-air roles at Fox Footy and 9 News," Pridhman added. "Demonstrating his versatility, Matthew has also administered leadership and consulting work within corporate Australia and played hosting roles during the Paris Olympics and the Australian Open. We are excited to be welcoming Matthew, Lauren, and their three children to the Swans as they make the move over from Perth.' Fabulous appointment! Welcome to the club, Matt! 👏 — Matt Hope (@MattHope4) August 6, 2025 Lucky Sydney. Pav is terrific — Shauna Dale 🐋 (@ShaunaDale18) August 6, 2025 Very good get swannies — MickR (@salty1259) August 6, 2025 A fantastic appointment imo. — Matt Hope (@MattHope4) August 5, 2025 The Swans are going through a period of transition after the departure of premiership coach John Longmire at the end of 2024. Longmire still works at the Swans, but is being tipped as the top candidate to take over from Simon Goodwin, who was sacked as Melbourne Demons coach on Tuesday. with agencies
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Roosters star turns on NRL after teammate banned under mid-season rule change
Roosters star Connor Watson has hit out at the NRL's decision to change the criteria for the rookie of the year award, which has seen Mark Nawaqanitawase banned from winning it. Cross-code star Nawaqanitawase was among the leading contenders for the award, which recognises the best first-year player in the NRL. But league bosses made the decision to block Nawaqanitawase from winning the gong as they felt the situation would have been unfair to some other 'traditional' rookies. The outside back played 58 games for the NSW Waratahs and 11 Test matches for the Wallabies before switching codes to the NRL last year. He's technically a rookie because he never played NRL before, but league bosses feel he doesn't really fit the criteria due to his experience in rugby union. Last week the Australian Rugby League Commission made a subtle tweak to its rules to prevent Nawaqanitawase winning the award. Under the new rule, players who have played five or more professional matches in another sporting code are now ineligible for the Dally M Rookie of the Year. The codes in question will be determined by the NRL on a case-by-case basis, but Nawaqanitawase's rugby background rules him out. It leaves Roosters teammate Robert Toia, Warriors forward Leka Halasima and Parramatta fullback Isaiah Iongi as the leading candidates for the gong. But according to Watson, the NRL's change is completely unfair on Nawaqanitawase. Watson took particular exception to the fact the rule has been changed mid-season. "Mark would probably be the favourite to win it," Watson said at the launch of the NRL's Indigenous Round on Tuesday. "So I feel like it's hard to make that call halfway through the year when he's played so well. If you're going to make a decision like that, you probably do it at the start of the year." NRL boss defends rookie of the year change But NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said the mid-season change was "really simple". Abdo declared: "The (ARL) Commission has made a policy change decision around the eligibility for rookie of the year, and I think it's contemporary. (The rule) hasn't been looked at for a while. The decision was really simple. It is meant for genuine rookies, so players that are coming through pathways systems, and not for players that have got significant experience, even if it's in other sports." Nawaqanitawase has 13 tries on the season heading into Round 22, putting him equal-fifth overall. Only Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow (17), Tyrell Sloan (15), Xavier Coates (14) and Philip Sami (14) have more, while Daniel Tupou and Tolutau Koula also have 13. RELATED: Stunning news about Latrell Mitchell as Bennett axing divides NRL hits Wests Tigers player with fine over 'offensive' gesture The 24-year-old Nawaqanitawase was even floated as an option to make his State of Origin debut for NSW before the start of the series. According to Watson, he's made a bigger impression off the field as on it. "That's probably been the best part of having him in the team," Watson said. "His energy every day and the positivity that he has around the group is good because sometimes when your season is inconsistent as it has been this year, everyone can get a bit down in the dumps. Mark comes in with a smile on his face every day and lifts the boys up." with AAP
