Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt turns to rookie halfback Kalani Thomas for Paris match
Reds halfback Kalani Thomas will become the fifth player to make his Wallabies debut this year after being named on the bench to face France in Paris this Saturday.
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has given debuts to Corey Toole, Nick Champion de Crespigny, Aidan Ross and Ryan Lonergan this season and introduced 19 new Wallabies players last season. It is Lonergan who has left the matchday squad to make room for Thomas.
Kalani Thomas will become the fifth player to make his debut for the Wallabies this season.Credit: Getty Images for ARU
Thomas brings a sharpshooting threat off the bench, in the mold of injured Reds teammate Tate McDermott, contrasting with halfback Jake Gordon.
Thomas played 55 Super Rugby matches and made two appearances for the British and Irish Lions in the First Nations, Pacifica and Australian and New Zealand selections.
Five-eighth Carter Gordon was named in the starting line-up as part of five changes after recovering from the quad strain that kept him out of Ireland’s record defeat in Dublin last Saturday and prevented him from kicking in the return test against Italy.
Dylan Pietsch, who was ill during the spring tour, returns to the team by taking his place on the left wing, joining Harry Potter on the right wing and Max Jorgensen, who maintains his place at full-back.
Nick Frost and Jeremy Williams were reunited in the second over after the Wallabies’ lineout broke down with six missed shots last Saturday; Tom Hooper returned to his strongest position as the blindside breakout and Rob Valetini was on the bench.
Frost and Williams will face Australian second rower Emmanuel Meafou, who returns to France.
