Wales v Australia: Ben Donaldson gets World Cup fly-half role for crunch Wallabies game
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Wales v Australia: Wallabies ready for 'tough' World Cup clash - Samu Kerevi
Rugby World Cup 2023: Wales v Australia |
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Venue: OL Stadium, Lyon Date: Sunday, 24 September Kick-off: 20:00 BST |
Coverage: Live BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Sounds, BBC Sport website & app; live text commentary on BBC Sport website & app. |
Australia head coach Eddie Jones has selected Ben Donaldson at fly-half for the World Cup Pool C match against Wales in Lyon on Sunday.
Donaldson started the opening two World Cup games at full-back but is handed the 10 jersey after Carter Gordon was taken off in the 22-15 defeat by Fiji.
Gordon is named as a replacement while Andrew Kellaway starts at full-back.
Squad vice-captain and scrum-half Tate McDermott returns, but hooker David Porecki is retained as captain.
There are three changes in personnel, with flanker Rob Leota starting instead of Fraser McReight and Tom Hooper switching to open-side.
Australia's Ben Donaldson scores a try during the World Cup match against Georgia as he picked up a 25-point match haul
New keys to number 10
Jones decided against selecting experienced duo Quade Cooper and Bernard Foley in his World Cup squad.
Donaldson started at fly-half for the first time against Wales in Cardiff last November, in a game which the Wallabies won 39-34 after trailing 34-13.
Donaldson was brought off in the second half and replaced by Noah Lolesio as Australia scored 26 unanswered points for victory.
Wales know a victory this weekend would guarantee a quarter-final place, while defeat for Australia would put them on the brink of World Cup pool stage elimination for the first time.
"Every team has matches like this during a Rugby World Cup and for this young team it is this week," said Jones.
"We've prepared well, are focused on what we need to do, and we'll be ready to fight on Sunday night."
Australia team to face Wales: Kellaway; Nawaqanitawase, Petaia, Kerevi, Koroibete; Donaldson, McDermott; Bell, Porecki (capt), Slipper, Frost, Arnold, Leota, T Hooper, Valetini.
Replacements: Faessler, Schoupp, Fa'amausili, Philip, McReight, White, Gordon, Vunivalu.
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