Nine Waratahs have been named in Australia A coach Jason Gilmore’s 34-man squad for the upcoming three-match tour against Japan XV in Japan.
Gilmore has named 12 capped Wallabies in the group plus current squad members Jock Campbell and Langi Gleeson for the tour which kicks off on October 1 in Tokyo.
The core of the group remains from the one that finished second in the Pacific Nations Cup with wins over Fiji and Tonga back in July.
In exciting news for Australian Rugby fans, fullback Tom Banks has recovered from a broken arm and will make his return to the field in the Land of the Rising Sun.
Fresh off the back of securing the Hospital Cup for Wests, Filipo Daugunu and Seru Uru have both been named, the latter named Man of the Match in the Queensland club rugby decider.
Speedster Mark Nawaqanitawase re-joins the group after being part of the Australia Sevens Commonwealth Games campaign in Birmingham.
New Waratahs signing and promising schoolboy, Max Jorgensen has been named in the squad as a development player.
The tour provides an opportunity for those to push their Test cases ahead of the Wallabies End of Year Tour and gain invaluable experience and game time against International opposition.
Australia A coach Jason Gilmore said: “It’s great to have these three matches coming up to continue the development and give our players more game time against high level international opposition.”
“With Dave Rennie’s guidance, we’ve picked the best possible players who are available and everyone’s really excited to put the work in on the training paddock and perform well over in Japan.”
Australia A squad for Japan Tour Richie Asiata, Queensland Reds Tom Banks, ACT Brumbies Ollie Callan, Western Force Jock Campbell, Queensland Reds Hudson Creighton, ACT Brumbies Filipo Daugunu, Queensland Reds Ben Donaldson, NSW Waratahs Tane Edmed, NSW Waratahs Pone Fa'amausili, Melbourne Rebels Nick Frost, ACT Brumbies Matt Gibbon, Melbourne Rebels Langi Gleeson, NSW Waratahs Ned Hanigan, NSW Waratahs Isaac Henry, Queensland Reds Archer Holz, NSW Waratahs Harry Hoopert, Queensland Reds Max Jorgensen*, NSW Waratahs Bayley Kuenzle, Western Force Lachlan Lonergan, ACT Brumbies Ryan Lonergan, , ACT Brumbies Mark Nawaqanitawase, NSW Waratahs Caderyn Neville, ACT Brumbies Dylan Pietsch, NSW Waratahs Billy Pollard, ACT Brumbies Tom Robertson, Western Force Rory Scott, ACT Brumbies Ryan Smith, Queensland Reds Hamish Stewart, Queensland Reds Darcy Swain, ACT Brumbies James Tuttle, Melbourne Rebels Seru Uru, Queensland Reds Suli Vunivalu, Queensland Reds Brad Wilkin, Melbourne Rebels Teddy Wilson, NSW Waratahs *denotes Development Player
Australia A vs Japan XV Tour Fixtures
Saturday, October 1, at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium in Tokyo
Saturday, October 8, at Best Denki Stadium in Fukuoka
Friday, October 14, at Yodoko Sakura Stadium in Osaka
