Joseph-Aukuso Sua'ali'i has won his battle to be fit for the final Test of 2024 as coach Joe Schmidt promised to try to prevent the Wallabies' last hurrah on their British Isles tour drowning in anti-climax.
Sua'ali'i had looked hugely unlikely to make it for Saturday's (Sunday AEDT) fourth and final leg of the tour when his thunderous hit on Sione Tuipulotu in the defeat against Scotland left him with an arm that was initially feared to be fractured.
But Schmidt reported on Thursday: "Joe's fine".
"He got one of those stingers where he had a bit of a dead arm. We felt it was better to get it properly assessed and couldn't hold the game up to do that so took him out of the game, which was disappointing, but he's fully fit and fully able."
Schmidt, up for an emotional match with the team he once led to glory for six years, offered a sobering verdict on Thursday on the Wallabies' progress, admitting: "I feel like I'm paddling hard, but I'm not necessarily going forward - but I think we're keeping our head above water.
"We're trying to build to 80-minute performances and build depth so if we get a ripple like we did last week (in the 27-13 loss to Scotland), we can still try to stay on top of the water."
Hoping for a power-packed finale up front against the world's No.2 side, Taniela Tupou has overcome a frustrating calf problem to prop the scrum.
Schmidt said the changes, for a third game running, were made with an eye to development before the Lions tour to Australia next year.
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"I honestly believe the Lions tour will be a fantastic occasion next year. Faz (Lions and Ireland coach Andy Farrell) and I had a coffee in May, we talked about hoping it would be the right sort of spectacle," Schmidt said.
"I think both coaches are committed to it and both teams will be committed to that as well. It has the opportunity to really promote the game and be a fantastic occasion for competitive rugby."
Australia team:
1. James Slipper, 2. Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 3. Taniela Tupou, 4. Nick Frost, 5. Jeremy Williams, 6. Rob Valetini, 7. Fraser McReight, 8. Harry Wilson (capt), 9. Jake Gordon, 10. Noah Lolesio, 11. Max Jorgensen, 12. Len Ikitau, 13. Joseph-Aukuso Sua'ali'i, 14. Andrew Kellaway, 15. Tom Wright.
Replacements: 16. Billy Pollard, 17. Angus Bell, 18. Allan Alaalatoa, 19. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 20. Langi Gleeson, 21. Tate McDermott, 22. Tane Edmed, 23. Harry Potter.
Ian Chadband - AAP
