Coach Ewen McKenzie believes the experience of tight-five stalwarts Benn Robinson and James Horwill will be invaluable on the underdog Wallabies’ hostile two-match tour of South Africa and Argentina.
Veteran prop Robinson has been recalled to Australia’s 28-man tour squad after being contentiously overlooked for the opening four Tests of the Rugby Championship.
The Wallabies scrum has struggled to adapt to the new soft-engagement laws and Brumbies rookie Scott Sio has been dumped for the 59-Test NSW loosehead.
Lock Horwill was also named as captain ahead of Ben Mowen after overcoming the hamstring strain that kept him out of the 38-12 loss to the Springboks and ugly 14-13 win over the Pumas in the past two weeks.
Bulldozing second-rower Sitaleki Timani has been retained despite Horwill’s return and his French contract while ball-scavenging flanker Liam Gill has instead felt the axe as McKenzie looks to beef up his pack.
“South Africa and Argentina are always brutal games, so you need to give an edge to physicality in your selections,” McKenzie said.
“You need to fight fire with fire to some extent and it’s pretty clear that we’ve brought in added size as well as more experience for these next two games.”
McKenzie’s first high-profile omission before the Rugby Championship kick-off, Robinson has been brought back to stabilise the shaky Wallabies scrum which has been overpowered by the All Blacks, Boks and Pumas packs.
“We want to improve this area of our game and when you combine the Tests played between Ben and James we are bringing in another 99 games of experience up front,” the coach said.
“That’s invaluable when you are playing in hostile environments away from home.”
Uncapped Queensland Reds pair Albert Anae, 24, and teenage winger Chris Feuai-Sautia are the new inclusions in a squad which has lost Jesse Mogg (shoulder reconstruction) and Nick Cummins (broken hand) through injury.
Like Robinson, Brumbies winger Joe Tomane is in line to play his first Test since the 2-1 series loss to the British and Irish Lions with Cummins and Mogg ruled out.
Anae, who has been impressing for Bay of Plenty in New Zealand’s ITM Cup, gives the Wallabies front-row flexibility as he plays both loosehead prop and hooker.
Australia, currently third on the table with a 1-3 record, travel to South Africa on Monday and play the Springboks in Cape Town on September 28 before meeting Argentina in Rosario on October 5.
Wallabies tour squad: Forwards – James Slipper, Benn Robinson, Sekope Kepu, Ben Alexander, Stephen Moore, Saia Faingaa, Albert Anae, James Horwill, Rob Simmons, Kane Douglas, Sitaleki Timani, Ben McCalman, Scott Fardy, Michael Hooper, Ben Mowen, Dave Dennis.
Backs – Nic White, Will Genia, Quade Cooper, Matt Toomua, Bernard Foley, Christian Lealiifano, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Tevita Kuridrani, Joe Tomane, Chris Feauai-Sautia, James O’Connor, Israel Folau.
