Holloway a surprise Bledisloe squad inclusion, Kerevi and Dempsey return

Thu, Oct 18, 2018, 1:00 AM
Iain Payten
by Iain Payten
Michael Cheika's named a 31-man squad for next weekend's final Bledisloe in Japan. Injured duo Samu Kerevi and Jack Dempsey return to the group while Jed Holloway has been named in his first touring squad.

Waratahs forward Jed Holloway is a surprise inclusion in the Wallabies squad for the third Bledisloe Test with injured duo Samu Kerevi and Jack Dempsey returning to the national fold.

Holloway was part of the Wallabies pre-Bledisloe trial in August but has not been involved in any official camps before after some injury-riddled seasons.

Injured backrower Dempsey will return to the squad for the first time since injuring his hamstring in the Wallabies-Barbarians match in Sydney almost a year ago.

Dempsey made his return to rugby through the NRC and has shown promising form through the competition, earning himself a squad recall.

Queensland centre Kerevi will also make his squad comeback after a bicep injury ruled him out for close to four months, though fellow 13 contender Tevita Kuridrani has run out of time to be included as he recovers from a pec injury.

Holloway is one of three uncapped players in the squad to head to Japan, along with Jake Gordon and Angus Cottrell who were retained from the recent South Africa-Argentina tour.

Pete Samu, who has been named to take on the Drua in the NRC this weekend, missed out on inclusion as he works his way back from a knee injury.

Leicester duo Matt Toomua and Tatafu Polota-Nau are both ineligible for the Test due to World Rugby's regulation nine with Tolu Latu kept on after coming in as an injury replacement Polota-Nau in South Africa.

The Wallabies fly to Japan on Saturday night, ahead of the third Bledisloe Cup Test.

The Wallabies take on New Zealand in the final Bledisloe Test on Saturday October 27, kicking off at 2:45pm local, 4;45pm AEDT.

SQUAD

IN: Jermaine Ainsley, Jack Dempsey, Jed Holloway, Tolu Latu, Samu Kerevi

OUT: Tatafu Polota-Nau (Leicester), Tom Robertson (knee), Caleb Timu, Matt Toomua (Leicester)

Wallabies squad for third Bledisloe Test

Forwards

Jermaine Ainsley (1 Test, Melbourne Rebels, 23)

Allan Alaalatoa (29 Tests, Brumbies, 24)

Rory Arnold (18 Tests , Brumbies, 28)

Adam Coleman (28 Tests, Melbourne Rebels, 26)

Angus Cottrell* (uncapped, Melbourne Rebels, 28)

Jack Dempsey (6 Tests, NSW Waratahs, 24)

Folau Fainga’a (5 Tests, Brumbies, 23)

Ned Hanigan (17 Tests, NSW Waratahs, 23)

Jed Holloway* (uncapped, NSW Waratahs, 25)

Michael Hooper (c) (87 Tests, NSW Waratahs, 26)

Sekope Kepu (99 Tests, NSW Waratahs, 32)

Tolu Latu (9 Tests, NSW Waratahs, 25)

Brandon Paenga-Amosa (4 Tests, Queensland Reds, 22)

David Pocock (74 Tests, Brumbies, 30)

Izack Rodda (13 Tests, Queensland Reds, 22)

Rob Simmons (90 Tests, NSW Waratahs, 29)

Scott Sio (51 Tests, Brumbies, 27)

Taniela Tupou (8 Tests, Queensland Reds, 22)

Backs

Tom Banks (2 Tests, Brumbies, 24)

Kurtley Beale (80 Tests, NSW Waratahs, 29)

Israel Folau (69 Tests, NSW Waratahs, 29)

Bernard Foley (64 Tests, NSW Waratahs, 29)

Will Genia (96 Tests, Melbourne Rebels, 30)

Jake Gordon* (uncapped, NSW Waratahs, 25)

Dane Haylett-Petty (27 Tests, Melbourne Rebels, 29)

Reece Hodge (33 Tests, Melbourne Rebels, 24)

Samu Kerevi (21 Tests, Queensland Reds, 25)

Marika Koroibete (17 Tests, Melbourne Rebels, 26)

Jack Maddocks (5 Tests, Melbourne Rebels, 21)

Sefa Naivalu (7 Tests, Melbourne Rebels, 26)

Nick Phipps (69 Tests, NSW Waratahs, 29)

*denotes uncapped

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