UPDATED: Arnold in for captain Skelton - late second-row change for Australia against Fiji
Australia head coach Eddie Jones makes a late change as captain Will Skelton (pictured) is deemed not fit enough to face Fiji in Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in Saint-Étienne on Sunday, with Richie Arnold the replacement lock and Matt Philip coming on to the bench. David Porecki is named captain in Skelton's absence.
1 Angus Bell
2 David Porecki (c)
3 James Slipper
4 Nick Frost
5 Richie Arnold
6 Tom Hooper
7 Fraser McReight
8 Rob Valetini
9 Nic White
10 Carter Gordon
11 Marika Koroibete
12 Samu Kerevi
13 Jordan Petaia
14 Mark Nawaqanitawase
15 Ben Donaldson
Replacements:
16 Jordan Uelese
17 Blake Schoupp
18 Zane Nonggorr
19 Matt Philip
20 Robert Leota
21 Issak Fines-Leleiwasa
22 Lalakai Foketi
23 Suli Vunivalu
UPDATE: Australia make late change ahead of kick-off: Richard Arnold comes in for Will Skelton, Matt Philip moves up to the bench.
- Head coach Eddie Jones has made three changes to his starting XV from the team who defeated Georgia last game, with James Slipper replacing the injured Taniela Tupou in the front-row, Nick Frost coming into the second-row, and Nic White at scrum-half.
- Australia have just five survivors in their match-day 23 from the last side to play Fiji at the RWC (2019): Samu Kerevi, Nic White, Marika Koroibete, Jordan Uelese and James Slipper all named. Richie Arnold’s twin brother Rory also played that day.
- James Slipper starts at tight-head for only the third time in his career after 2012 against the All Blacks in Brisbane, and 2021 against England at Twickenham. Seventy-three of his 75 starts for the Wallabies have been at loose-head. Only George Gregan has played more RWC games for Australia.
- Fraser McReight hit the most defensive rucks of any player across the opening weekend with 11, winning two breakdown turnovers.
- Ben Donaldson scored 25 points on his Rugby World Cup debut last weekend, the most by any Wallaby in a RWC game since Bernard Foley’s 28 points against England in 2015.
- This will be the first time half-backs Nic White and Carter Gordon have started alongside each other for Australia.