PNC- 7 Wallabies in the A team
Sam Norton-Knight looks like he has played a game. photo Zoomfiji
Morgan Turinui leads by example. photo Zoomfiji
An Australia A rugby team including seven of the current Wallabies squad has been named to play Tonga in the Pacific Nations Cup match at North Sydney Oval on Sunday.
Forwards Mark Chisholm, Ben Alexander, Richard Brown and Stephen Hoiles and backs Digby Ioane, Brett Sheehan and Lachie Turner have all been included in Australia A's first home match of the campaign.
Captain Morgan Turinui and Timana Tahu resume their beefy combination in the centres, while Digby Ioane and Matt Carraro will lurk on the wings.
Lachie Turner will get his chance to press for a Test spot against the French when he lines up at fullback. This man has a radar for the try-line and on a dry track will alone be worth the entry price.
The match against the Tongans will also see the return of Wallabies World Cup winger Drew Mitchell, who will start from the bench after recovering from an ankle injury.
Mooney said the match would give the Wallabies contingent valuable match-practice and provide the players with an opportunity to push for selection for the two-Test series against France.
"Having these players in the Australia A squad has increased the competition for starting places and I'm looking forward to a professional performance against the Tongans on Sunday."
The Australian’s are on top of the table, they are sitting pretty after a tiring and challenging road tour in games 1 & 2, this home trot will be the making or breaking of the campaign hopes with Fiji and NZ Maori looming. All in all the crowd is the real winner as Australia A boast real stars, Tonga has a full tank of guts and Island will and this combination is sure to set up a corker of a match at 2.05 Sunday.
Team Australia A
Lachlan Turner, Matt Carraro, Morgan Turinui, Timana Tahu, Digby Ioane, Sam Norton-Knight, Brett Sheehan, Stephen Hoiles, Richard Brown, Hugh McMeniman, Peter Kimlin, Mark Chisholm, Sekope Kepu, Sean Hardman, Ben Alexander. Res: John Ulugia, Guy Shepherdson, Al Campbell, Julian Salvi, Patrick Phibbs, Daniel Halangahu, Drew Mitchell.