The NSW Waratahs have named their team to face the Queensland Reds in Round 6 of the Harvey Norman Super Rugby Pacific competition.
Waratahs Head Coach Darren Coleman has added five new faces to his starting side with injuries and load management becoming a key issue as the team plays its ninth match in a row including pre-season trials.
Harry Johnson-Holmes and David Porecki, both recently named in Dave Rennie’s Wallabies squad, are joined in the front-row by veteran Te Tera Faulkner who makes his first start of the season.
Hugh Sinclair switches from the back row into the second row alongside Geoff Cridge.
Carlo Tizzano also gets his first start of the season joining the impressive Charlie Gamble and the competition’s second-highest try-scorer Will Harris (4) in the back row.
Jack Grant forms a new halves partnership with Tane Edmed who makes his Waratah’s run-on debut at fly-half.
97 Test Welsh and British and Irish Lions International Jamie Roberts starts at inside centre forming a powerful midfield combination with Lalakai Foketi.
Will Harrison is once again named at fullback and is joined by Alex Newsome and Mark Nawaqanitawase in the back-three.
Darren Coleman has once again gone with a traditional five-three split on the bench with some final decisions to be made on the make-up of the reserve front row spots.
Jed Holloway and Angus Bell will provide plenty of punch off the bench late in the match, while Triston Reilly is set to play his first match of Super Rugby Pacific.
Waratahs Academy graduate and Australian U20’s representative Teddy Wilson is in line to make his Super Rugby debut off the bench.
WARATAHS 23 TO FACE THE QLD REDS
1 Te Tera Faulkner (Southern Districts/ Moorabin Rams/ Marist College Canberra)
2 David Porecki (Manly/ Manly Roos/ Redlands)
3 Harry Johnson-Holmes (Sydney Uni/ Cowra Eagles/ Merewether High School)
4 Hugh Sinclair (Northern Suburbs/ Lindfield/ S.H.O.R.E)
5 Geoffrey Cridge (West Harbour/ Darfield Rugby Club/ Christchurch Boys High)
6 Charlie Gamble (Eastern Suburbs/ Saracens/ St Bede’s College)
7 Carlo Tizzano (West Harbour/ UWA Rugby Club/ Trinity College WA)
8 Will Harris (Eastern Suburbs/ Hunters Hill/ Scots College)
9 Jack Grant (Eastern Suburbs/ Orange City Lions/ St Ignatius College)
10 Tane Edmed (Eastwood/ Trinity Grammar)
11 Alex Newsome (Eastern Suburbs/ Glen Innes Elks/ St Joseph’s College)
12 Jamie Roberts (CRICC/ Rumney RFC/ Ysgol Glantaf)
13 Lalakai Foketi (Manly/ Manly Roos/ Kings School)
14 Mark Nawaqanitawase (Eastwood/ St Patrick’s College)
15 Will Harrison (Randwick/ Clovelly Eagles/ Marcellin College)
Replacements: 16 Tom Horton (Sydney Uni/ Mosman Whales/ St Joseph’s College) / Mahe Vailanu (Gordon/ Auckland Grammar School)
17 Angus Bell (Sydney Uni/ Hunters Hill/ Newington College)
18 Ruan Smith (Hunter Wildfire / Paarl Gimnasium) / Archer Holz (Eastern Suburbs/ Kings School)
19 Jed Holloway (Southern Districts/ Yamba Buccaneers/ Waverley College)
20 Langi Gleeson (Manly/ Harbord Harlequins/ St Augustines College)
21 Teddy Wilson (Eastern Suburbs/ Kings School)
22 Dylan Pietsch (Randwick/ Leeton Phantoms/ Kings School)
23 Triston Reilly (Randwick/ Kempsey Cannonballs/ St Joseph’s College)
Players unavailable for selection:
Ben Donaldson – Calf (TBC)
Henry Robertson – Shoulder (Round 9+)
Izaia Perese – COVID Protocols (Round 7)
James Ramm – Groin (Round 7)
Jake Gordon – Hamstring (Round 7-9)
James Turner – Ankle (Round 7)
Jeremy Williams – Hamstring (Round 11+)
Joey Walton – ACL (Season)
Lachlan Swinton (Shoulder TBC)
Michael Hooper – Foot (Round 7)
Mosese Tuipulotu – Knee (Round 11+)
