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.
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.
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