The Wallabies are set to be boosted by the return of eight players for the upcoming Rugby Championship Tests against the Springboks in Adelaide and Brisbane.
Following a mixed tour of Argentina, where they opened their campaign with a bonus-point win before slumping to a heavy defeat, a bruised Wallabies squad made their way back home to Australia.
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A total of five players were ruled out of the Tests against the Pumas, including captain Michael Hooper, who withdrew from the squad due to personal reasons, and flyhalf Quade Cooper, who suffered a season-ending ankle injury.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Hooper is not expected to return to the squad for the games against the Springboks on 27 August and 3 September, but the Wallabies could welcome back a plethora of players for the Tests.
Angus Bell (foot), Dave Porecki (concussion), Hunter Paisami (concussion), Scott Sio (shoulder), Folau Fainga’a (concussion), Andrew Kellaway (hamstring), Allan Ala’alatoa (personal reasons) and Rob Leota, who wasn’t considered for San Juan due to a skin infection, could all be included in the squad, which is expected to be named this week.
“We do have a few soldiers coming back, which will hopefully give us a bit of steel but, as I have said, we are not looking to make excuses for what we put on the park [in San Juan],” Wallabies head coach Dave Rennie told the Herald.
“What we know is the intensity level goes up, too. You play a team like South Africa, the world champions, and they’ll be hurting after the second Test against New Zealand as well.”
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