The Rugby World Cup choice hopes of skilled pair Bernard Foley and James O’Connor stay alive after they had been named in Australia A’s squad for Friday week’s conflict towards Tonga in Nuku’alofa.
O’Connor and Foley, who each performed at fly half at totally different phases for the Wallabies final 12 months and have made 148 Test appearances between them, had been disregarded of Australia’s Rugby Championship squad.
Foley’s omission from Eddie Jones’s squad was significantly stunning after the Japan-based 33-year-old playmaker was a part of latest Wallabies camp in Sydney.
Queenslander O’Connor, 32, fell out of choice favour final 12 months with earlier Wallabies coach Dave Rennie, however his utility worth within the backline provides him a slim hope of a World Cup recall.
The 25-man Australia A squad additionally contains towering former Reds lock Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, who just lately returned from England to hitch the Melbourne Rebels.
Capped 30 occasions for the Wallabies, 26-year-old Salakaia-Loto additionally stays in rivalry to drive his approach into Jones’s World Cup plans.
“Eddie has selected a group with a huge amount of talent and alongside the rest of the Australia A coaches, I’m looking forward to working closely with them and maximising our time together,” Australia A coach Jason Gilmore mentioned.
“It’s great to build on the foundations of the Australia A program from last year with another hit out against Test-quality international opposition in Tonga.”
Australia A: Lachlan Anderson (Rebels), Jock Campbell (Reds), Josh Canham (Rebels), Pone Fa’amausili (Rebels), Folau Fainga’a (Force), Issak Fines-Leleiwasa (Force), Bernard Foley (Kubota Spears), Josh Flook (Reds), Jake Gordon (Waratahs), Ned Hanigan (Waratahs), Tom Lambert (Waratahs), Lachlan Lonergan (Brumbies), Cadeyrn Neville (Brumbies), James O’Connor (Reds), Lukhan Salakaia-Loto (Rebels), Ollie Sapsford (Brumbies), Blake Schoupp (Brumbies), Lachlan Swinton (Waratahs), Sam Talakai (Rebels), Corey Toole (Brumbies), Seru Uru (Reds), Rhys Van Nek (Brumbies), Joey Walton (Waratahs), Brad Wilkin (Rebels), Harry Wilson (Reds).
Source: www.news.com.au
