Rona to start against all blacks
Qantas Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has named former Rugby League star Curtis Rona to debut in Saturday night’s Bledisloe Cup opener at ANZ Stadium in Sydney.
Rona, who starred for the Western Force in his first full season of Vodafone Super Rugby, will line-up on the left wing with Dane Haylett-Petty succumbing to a bicep injury.
The opening Bledisloe clash also sees the return of Kurtley Beale, who will pull on the gold jersey for the first time since the 2015 Rugby World Cup Final.
Surprisingly, Saturday night’s clash will be the first time that Beale will wear the number 12 jersey at Test level.
Even more remarkably, the Wallabies have also never started a Test with a backline featuring Beale, flyhalf Bernard Foley and fullback Israel Folau.
Beale will partner Queensland star Samu Kerevi in the centres after the latter missed the June Test Series with an ankle injury.
Sean McMahon will also make his return to the Test arena after a wrist injury left him sidelined during the mid-year internationals.
The Bledisloe Cup will be screened LIVE, ad-break free during play and in HD on FOX SPORTS 501 from 7.00pm AEST. Fans can also LIVE stream the match on Foxtel Now (for Foxtel subscribers).
FOX SPORTS will show every game of The Rugby Championship LIVE, with no ad-breaks during play and in HD.
All Bledisloe Cup and Rugby Championship Test matches will be screened live and free in High Definition on TEN and WIN Network and on tenplay.com.au from 7.30pm AEST in all markets.
1. Scott Sio (32 Tests)
2. Stephen Moore (120 Tests)
3. Allan Alaalatoa (11 Tests)
4. Rory Arnold (12 Tests)
5. Adam Coleman (12 Tests)
6. Ned Hanigan (3 Tests)
7. Michael Hooper (c) (68 Tests)
8. Sean McMahon (15 Tests)
9. Will Genia (78 Tests)
10. Bernard Foley (45 Tests)
11. Curtis Rona*
12. Kurtley Beale (60 Tests)
13. Samu Kerevi (8 Tests)
14. Henry Speight (12 Tests)
15. Israel Folau (55 Tests)
Reserves
16. Tatafu Polota-Nau (71 Tests)
17. Tom Robertson (9 Tests)
18. Sekope Kepu (80 Tests)
19. Rob Simmons (71 Tests)
20. Lopeti Timani (7 Tests)
21. Nick Phipps (52 Tests)
22. Reece Hodge (13 Tests)
23. Tevita Kuridrani (47 Tests)
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