Carter Gordon back in Wallabies side as Australia face Scotland in Edinburgh
Carter Gordon is back in the Wallabies starting team for their Nations Championship Test against Scotland in Edinburgh on Sunday, which is Monday morning in Australia. The fly-half, who runs the attack and often does the kicking, has been out since he suffered a broken leg against Argentina in September.
Gordon's return is the headline change, but it is not the only one. The Wallabies have named Rob Valetini at No. 6, the openside flanker who competes for the ball on the ground after a tackle. He will line up alongside Harry Wilson and Fraser McReight. Valetini is a two-time winner of the John Eales Medal, the award for Australia's player of the year.
The backline has also been reshuffled. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii moves from the left wing into the inside centre berth, partnering Len Ikitau. The pair have already played 17 Tests together in midfield, so the combination is not a new one. The move was needed after Isaac Henry suffered an injury that ended his tour, according to Rugby Australia, which ruled him out of the match.
Declan Meredith has been left out of the match-day 23, the group of players named for the game, including those on the bench.
Selection is only part of the story. The Wallabies have used seven different starting fly-halves since the last World Cup, a sign of how often the coaching group has been searching for the right answer at No. 10. Gordon's return gives them some continuity in a position that matters enormously. Good fly-halves control field position, choosing when to kick for territory and when to keep the ball in hand.
The pressure on the defence is just as pressing. The Wallabies conceded 138 points across their last three defeats, which is a heavy tally in any code of rugby. Shoring up the midfield and the back row is a big part of what this team needs to do.
For Australian fans, the picture is a familiar one: a squad trying to find its best combination with the clock ticking towards the next World Cup. Gordon and Valetini are returning, Suaalii is switching positions, and the back row and midfield have new partners. How they gel against a Scottish side playing at home will tell us a good deal.
Rugby Australia's news hub also lists the men's team announcement under the headline "Valetini, Gordon return to starting side for Scotland Test in Edinburgh". Away from the senior squad, the Australia Sevens programme has added Chayse Geros and Dane Mitchell, while Teagan Levi has returned to the sevens setup after a spell in the NRLW, the women's version of rugby league.
Kick-off in Edinburgh is on Sunday, and the Wallabies' fortunes against Scotland will be watched closely back home.
