- Title: Wallabies aiming to end season with Twickenham victory
- Date: 7th October 2016
- Summary: LONDON, UK (OCTOBER 7, 2016) (REUTERS) WALLABIES TRAINING SESSION AT TWICKENHAM WALLABIES COACH MICHAEL CHEIKA (IN BROWN TRACKSUIT AND CAP) THROWING BALLS DURING TRAINING TRAINING SESSION WALLABIES OUTSIDE CENTRE TEVITA KURIDRANI AT TRAINING WALLABIES CAPTAIN STEPHEN MOORE (SOUNDBITE) (English) WALLABIES CAPTAIN STEHPEN MOORE, SPEAKING ABOUT TWO NEW PROPS, TOM ROBERTSON AND ALLAN ALAALATOA, SAYING: "No I think the coaches have picked the side they think can do the job and both those guys have trained really well and played well when they have got the opportunity so this is all part of them getting introduced to test rugby these type of test matches so at some point you have to get out there and get into it so they get their opportunity tomorrow and I'm sure they'll do well." MOORE AT TRAINING WITH FLANKER SCOTT VARDY (SOUNDBITE) (English) WALLABIES CAPTAIN STEHPEN MOORE SAYING: "I think no matter who your opponent is the set piece and the forward battle is a big part of the game and tomorrow's no different to that. I don't think there's been a game where I've sat here and said that part of the game isn't going to be important tomorrow so, it is what it is, we need to be good in that area.“ MOORE WITH WALLABIES ASSISTANT COACH STEPHEN LARKHAM AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (English) WALLABIES BACKS AND ATTACK COACH STEPHEN LARKHAM SAYING: "We've had a big focus this week on just trying to improve our attack in the A zone so not just the backs I think we certainly made some line breaks against the Argentinians last time and then against South Africa last week and we didn't capitalise on them so it's been an ongoing process so if you look at the year we've had a disappointing start against England and we've started to find a combination over the last couple of games and I think we're building towards the game that we want to be playing." MOORE AND LARKHAM AT NEWS CONFERENCE DRONE FLYING OVER TRAINING SESSION MEMBER OF WALLABIES COACHING STAFF CONTROLLING DRONE DRONE FLYING OVER PITCH SEKOPE KEPU (WHITE HEADBAND) AT TRAINING ISRAEL FOLAU WALKING BETWEEN GOAL POSTS WITH BALL IN HAND AND PASSES IT LUKE MORAHAN WITH BALL VARDY AT TRAINING RUGBY BALLS ON PITCH DURING TRAINING
- Embargoed: 22nd October 2016 17:13
- Keywords: Australia Wallabies Stephen Moore Argentina
- Location: LONDON, UK
- City: LONDON, UK
- Country: Australia
- Topics: Rugby Union,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA0015309UTB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Australia's Wallabies finish their Rugby Championship campaign against Argentina at Twickenham on Saturday (October 8) looking for a victory after defeat against South Africa last weekend.
Argentina are the 'home' side after the organisers proposed playing one of their matches in the northern hemisphere to drum up more interest in the tournament on the back of the southern hemisphere taking the top four places at the 2015 World Cup.
Australia coach Michael Cheika led a training session at the famous old stadium on Friday (October 7) having had to make some changes to his side.
Number eight Lopeti Timani will make his first start for his country as a replacement for the injured Sean McMahon. McMahon was injured in the 18-10 loss to South Africa last weekend, affording Timani a first start after he made his debut off the bench in the 36-20 home win over Argentina last month.
In the only other change to the starting line-up, lock Rory Arnold was recalled to the run-on side in the place of Rob Simmons, with second row partner Adam Coleman switching to the number five jersey.
The duo will form the tallest lock pairing in Australian test history -- Coleman standing at 2.05 metres and Arnold at 2.08m.
Cheika has again named an extended bench and will omit one player before Saturday.
Should number eight Leroy Houston take his place among the replacements, he will be in line for a Wallaby debut as the only uncapped player named in the squad.
Fijian-born wing Sefa Naivalu, who became eligible for the country last month and made his debut in last weekend's loss to the Springboks, is again named on the extended bench.
Captain and hooker Stephen Moore will equal George Smith's mark of 111 test caps and become the joint-fourth most capped Australian test player in history.
Australia beat Argentina in the same venue in the semi-final of last year's World Cup before losing the final to New Zealand.
Moore was asked if having two new props, Tom Robertson and Allan Alaalatoa, on the bench was a gamble.
"I think the coaches have picked the side they think can do the job and both those guys have trained really well and played well when they have got the opportunity so this is all part of them getting introduced to test rugby," Moore replied.
He forecast the match would be dominated by the set piece and the battle between the forwards, adding: "We need to be good in that area."
Wallabies attacking coach Stephen Larkham said he wanted to see the side making the most of attacking breaks through the opposition lines.
"We certainly made some line breaks against the Argentinians last time and then against South Africa last week and we didn't capitalise on them," said Larkham.
Australia began the season with a 3-0 series defeat against England and have lost twice to the All Blacks in the Championship.
Team: 15-Israel Folau, 14-Dane Haylett-Petty, 13-Samu Kerevi, 12-Bernard Foley, 11-Reece Hodge, 10-Quade Cooper, 9-Will Genia, 8-Lopeti Timani, 7-Michael Hooper, 6-Dean Mumm, 5-Adam Coleman, 4-Rory Arnold, 3-Sekope Kepu, 2-Stephen Moore (captain), 1-Scott Sio.
Replacements (one to be omitted): 16-James Hanson, 17-Tom Robertson, 18-Alan Alaalatoa, 19-Kane Douglas, 20-Scott Fardy, 21-Leroy Houston, 22-Nick Phipps, 23-Tevita Kuridrani, 24-Sefa Naivalu. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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