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Update: Dave Rennie has kept the faith with the men that helped secure his future.
A week ago Rennie was feeling the pinch after their record defeat against Argentina, which left him with an unflattering 40 per cent win record.
Staring down the barrel of four straight Tests against the Springboks and All Blacks, the heat was on Rennie regardless of whether or not the Rugby Australia board was backing him through until next year’s World Cup.
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But after their 25-17 win over the world champions in Adelaide, Rennie has named the same XV to take on the Springboks for their fourth Rugby Championship match at Allianz Stadium on Saturday. There is just one change on the bench, with local halfback Jake Gordon replacing Tate McDermott.
It will be the first time in 48 Tests that the Wallabies have named an unchanged starting side, a run dating back to the home Irish series in 2018 when Israel Folau and David Pocock were still running around.
Indeed, not since the 26-year run between 1922 to 1948 – a run extending 59 Tests – have the Wallabies gone so many matches without naming the same run-on side.
“It’s great to be able to have some consistency in selection with the team that played last week earning the right to wear the jersey again in Sydney,” Rennie said.
“While rapt with last week’s effort, we’re well aware of the challenge a wounded Springbok poses and the intensity we will require again on Saturday night.
“We’re excited by the opportunity to play in front of a sold out crowd in the first International event at the new Allianz Stadium.”
It comes as attack coach Scott Wisemantal encouraged rising fly-half to be “more aggressive” in the playmaking position.
Lolesio, 22, had his best performance in gold last weekend.
The Brumbies playmaker was understated but his decision making was the most commanding it has been in his three-year international career to date, where he played a strong hand in two of the Wallabies’ three tries.
His audacious out-the-back flick pass to Fraser McReight revealed a young man expressing himself.
It came after he was dropped for the dramatic two-match tour of Argentina.
After his starring role in Adelaide, Lolesio revealed he was “nervous”.
It is no surprise given his brutal introduction to the international game, which has seen him dropped on a handful of occasions to make way for seasoned professionals Quade Cooper and James O’Connor.
Wisemantel, who is a widely respected figure in international coaching and has served under Eddie Jones at the Wallabies and England, said Lolesio’s communication and direction stood out.
“The one thing that we wanted from Noah was to be a bit more aggressive because he’s such a nice bloke,” Wisemantel said.
“I want him to be filthy if he’s not selected. I want him to come to me and go ‘why’? And ‘how are we going to do this and what are you going to do for me.’
“It’s not being rude. In that role as a player who touches the ball more than most players in the team, he has to have that authority and that command.
“You actually have to practice it daily. Talking in wants and needs. ‘I need you here, I want you here, if you don’t show up, there’s going to be consequences’. It’s aggressive language. And off the field Noah is nothing like that. But that’s part of his development, controlling men.”
Wisemantel pointed the lead up to McReight’s opening try after 62 seconds as an example of what they want from Lolesio.
“The most impressive thing for me was when we scored that first try with [Fraser] McReight, if you go back two phases before and look where Noah is, he’s connected to the forwards … but the authority he had with telling them what he wanted, how he wanted it, and his organising, that to me was his most impressive part of his game,” Wisemantel said.
“I enjoyed that, because whether you are right or wrong, if you are demanding things and commanding things, then blokes are going to show up for you.”
Lolesio’s strong showing, as well as the desire to go toe-for-toe with the Springboks’ pack, saw the Wallabies opt for a forwards heavy 6-2 bench split.
Suliasi Vunivalu was once again left out, with the Wallabies backing the outside backs that performed well last weekend and the versatility of Andrew Kellaway off the bench.
But for Vunivalu, the two-time NRL premiership-winning star who could follow in the footsteps of Marika Koroibete and become world class, it’s a painful wait.
Meanwhile, Wisemantel – a former rugby league player – wouldn’t entertain talk of Joseph Suaalii being pursued, instead focusing on the outside backs currently in the Wallabies.
“If he chose to come across he could potentially fit in but I don’t want to take away from guys like Kellaway, (Tom) Wright, Vunivalu, (Jock) Campbell, Marika – those guys are damn good footballers,” Wisemantel said.
“By entertaining any of this, and look, I have not spoken to him and don’t know him from a bar of soap, we’re taking away from the blokes that we’ve got and the blokes that we’re trying to develop.
“So on one hand, we’re talking about development. And then on the other hand, you’re talking about recruitment. We’re about development here at the moment.”
His comments came as RA seriously considers offering Suaalii, 19, a $1 million deal to join the code ahead of the 2024 Olympics.
Wallabies (15-1): Reece Hodge, Tom Wright, Len Ikitau, Hunter Paisami, Marika Koroibete, Noah Lolesio, Nic White, Rob Valetini, Fraser McReight, Jed Holloway, Matt Philip, Rory Arnold, Allan Alaalatoa, Folau Fainga’a, James Slipper (c)
Reserves: Dave Porecki, Scott Sio, Taniela Tupou, Darcy Swain, Rob Leota, Pete Samu, Jake Gordon, Andrew Kellaway
Springboks (15-1): Willie le Roux, Canan Moodie, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Makazole Mapimpi, Damian Willemse, Jaden Hendrikse, Jasper Wiese, Franco Mostert, Siya Kolisi (c), Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Malcolm Marx, Steven Kitshoff
Reserves: Deon Fourie, Ox Nche, Trevor Nyakane, Kwagga Smith, Duane Vermeulen, Cobus Reinach, Frans Steyn, Warrick Gelant
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