Wallabies add Valetini, Skelton muscle for second Lions test

Straits Times

24-07-2025

MELBOURNE - Australia coach Joe Schmidt has added a considerable heft to his pack with the inclusion of Rob Valetini and Will Skelton in his starting line-up for Saturday's second test against the British & Irish Lions.
The Wallabies were outmuscled by the tourists at the collision in the first hour of last week's loss in the series opener in Brisbane and the return of flanker Valetini and lock Skelton from calf injuries should help in that area.
Schmidt is hoping their influence will go beyond just adding a bit more more physicality to the pack.
"We've got a group of players who haven't won too much in recent times ... and I think building confidence is an incremental thing," the New Zealander told a news conference on Thursday.
"Bobby probably brings confidence to other players because of his experience and his ability to take the ball forward.
"I think one of the key things with Will is he's a very calm influence. Yes, he's a big man ... but his experience of being involved in successful teams, particularly with La Rochelle in Europe, I think just gives other players confidence."
Hooker Dave Porecki, who missed the first-test defeat because of a concussion sustained in Australia's warm-up match against Fiji, has also been recalled in place of Matt Faessler.
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Schmidt resisted further changes to his starting side and 22-year-old Tom Lynagh will lead an unchanged backline from flyhalf at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in his second test start.
Flanker Nick Champion de Crespigny and Faessler have been dropped to allow the return of Valetini and Porecki, while lock Jeremy Williams remains in the matchday squad among the replacements after making way for Skelton.
Schmidt has opted for a 6-2 split in favour of the forwards on the bench with the powerful Langi Gleeson also returning from injury to join flanker Carlo Tizzano as back-up for the loose forwards.
"It's not forward heavy, it's replacements for guys who are coming back from injury," explained Schmidt.
"We know that we've got Will Skelton, Bobby Valetini and Langi Gleeson all coming back from injury, so we're just trying to cover that as best we can."
Schmidt said he has never been an "outcomes" focused coach but conceded his relatively inexperienced Wallabies team beating the Lions on Saturday to level up the series would rank high among his career achievements.
"I've been lucky to have been on the periphery of some fantastic outcomes over the last 20 years of of coaching professionally, but this would be special inevitably," he said.
"And it'd be special for this group, and I think it would accelerate a little bit of their growth as well."
The third and final test takes place at Sydney's Stadium Australia on Aug. 2.
Team: 15–Tom Wright, 14–Max Jorgensen, 13–Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, 12–Len Ikitau, 11–Harry Potter, 10–Tom Lynagh, 9–Jake Gordon, 8–Harry Wilson, 7–Fraser McReight, 6–Rob Valetini, 5–Will Skelton, 4–Nick Frost, 3–Allan Alaalatoa, 2–David Porecki, 1–James Slipper
Replacements: 16–Billy Pollard, 17–Angus Bell, 18–Tom Robertson, 19–Jeremy Williams, 20–Langi Gleeson, 21–Carlo Tizzano, 22–Tate McDermott, 23–Ben Donaldson REUTERS