Twelve Wallabies have been selected in the Australia A squad to tour the United States of America later this month, with matches against the Eagles in Nashville on October 24 and in New Jersey on October 30.
Kalani Thomas and Zane Nonggorr have been named to give them more game time, having spent most of the Test season with the Wallabies squad.
Experienced Wallabies included
Capped Wallaby locks Miles Amatosero and Nick Frost have been selected, as have front rowers Matt Faessler, Tom Robertson and Lachlan Lonergan, as well as flanker Luke Reimer.
Faessler will captain the tour. He led the team to a 71-7 win over Japan XV in Osaka last year.
Newcomers and Olympians
Former Australia U20s captain Eamon Doyle, who skippers the NSW Waratahs Super Rugby AUS side, has been named in his first senior national squad. Perth junior Nathan Hastie has also earned his first senior national selection.
Olympians Corey Toole and Lachlan Anderson are also part of the group, which was jointly selected by the Wallabies and Australia A coaching staff.
Coach’s comments
Australia A Head Coach Stephen Larkham said: “It’s pleasing to pull together such a strong group of players for what will be a testing Tour against genuine international opposition.”
He added: “A lot of the players selected have performed well across Super Rugby AUS and to have a number of Wallabies in the mix shows the depth that is being created across the Australian Rugby system.”
Tour fixtures
The Australia A squad will depart for the USA on October 18. The tour features two matches against the USA Eagles:
- Australia A v USA Eagles, 9:00 am AEST on Sunday 25 October at Geodis Park Stadium, Nashville
- Australia A v USA Eagles, 10:00 am AEST on Saturday 31 October at Sports Illustrated Stadium, New Jersey
Full squad
- Miles Amatosero (NSW Waratahs – South Coogee Red Devils)
- Joe Brial (Queensland Reds – Easts (Sydney))
- Ethan Dobbins (NSW Waratahs – Wests Bulldogs)
- Eamon Doyle (NSW Waratahs – Woonona Shamrocks)
- Matt Faessler (c) (Queensland Reds – USQ Saints)
- Nick Frost (ACT Brumbies – Hornsby Lions)
- Will Harris (Western Force – Norths Pirates)
- Lington Ieli (ACT Brumbies – Brisbane Boys’ College)
- Tom Lambert (Queensland Reds – West Harbour Juniors)
- Lachlan Lonergan (ACT Brumbies – Tuggeranong Vikings)
- Toby Macpherson (ACT Brumbies – Goondiwindi Junior Emus)
- Zane Nonggorr (Queensland Reds – Gold Coast Eagles)
- Luke Reimer (NSW Waratahs – Lindfield Junior Rugby Club)
- Tom Robertson (Western Force – Dubbo Roos)
- Rory Scott (ACT Brumbies – Canberra Royals)
- Rhys van Nek (ACT Brumbies – Easts Rugby (Brisbane))
- Lachie Anderson (Queensland Reds – Dural Rugby Club)
- Tane Edmed (ACT Brumbies – West Harbour Juniors)
- David Feliuai (ACT Brumbies – Sunnybank Dragons)
- Mac Grealy (Western Force – Souths Kookaburras Toowoomba)
- Nathan Hastie (Western Force – Wanneroo Rugby Club)
- Tom Lynagh (Queensland Reds – University of Queensland)
- Dylan Pietsch (Western Force – Leeton Phantoms)
- Kadin Pritchard (ACT Brumbies – Springfield Hawks)
- Tim Ryan (Queensland Reds – Brothers Rugby)
- Kalani Thomas (Queensland Reds – Springfield Hawks)