Salakaia-Loto and Swain, in search of the starting XV vs Lions: Rugby at its best

The player Lukhan Salakaia-Loto will have another opportunity to prove his worth and be considered for the Wallabies. The burly player has been included in the First Nations and Pasifika team that will face the Lions in Melbourne. After his participation in the AUNZ invitational team last Saturday, the Queensland player stated that he was watching his phone in case he was required by the national team coach, Joe Schmidt.

Coach Toutai Kefu has included four players who participated in the 48-0 defeat in Adelaide, including Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Pete Samu and Kalani Thomas, who are also repeating.

Darcy Swain, Wallabies player with Samoan ancestry, will also have another opportunity after being excluded from the team for this Saturday’s first match in Brisbane. Fijian Drua forwards, Mesake Doge and Mesake Vocevoce, have been called up to the team, becoming the first Fijian internationals to face the Lions since the famous 1977 victory. Former Australian Under-20s team props, Lington Ieli and Marley Pearce, will also get another chance against the tourists, while Brumbies number 8, Tuaina Taii Tualima, joins the already named Rob Leota, Seru Uru and Charlie Gamble.

Salakaia-Loto and Swain, in search of the starting XV vs Lions: Rugby at its best — Lukhan Salakaia-Loto tendrá otra oportunidad para demostrar su valía y ser considerado para los Wallabies. El fornido jugador ha sido incluido en el equipo de las Primeras Naciones y Pasifika que se enfrentará a los Lions en Melbourne. Mark Brake/Getty Images

Scrum-halves Isaak Fines-Leleiwasa and Harrison Goddard have also been included, with Kurtley Beale and Jack Debreczeni sharing the opening functions. Star centers Lalakai Foketi and David Feliuai are among the backs named, along with the speedy Andy Muirhead from the Brumbies. In total, the group is made up of 20 players of Pasifika descent and seven of First Nations descent.

There’s a good mix of youth and experience within the group, with countries and territories represented throughout the Pacific and Indigenous Australia.
Kefu

Players are aware of the great opportunity they have to perform for their communities and grow the game of rugby.
Kefu

We’ve seen how strong the Lions are in recent weeks. The coaching staff and all the players will work as hard as possible to prepare for this match and try to achieve something special in Melbourne.
Kefu

Meanwhile, the Lions have added Rory Sutherland, Ewan Ashman and Darcy Graham from Scotland as injury cover for Tuesday night’s match at Marvel Stadium. The three have been withdrawn from the Scottish team in New Zealand before their match against Samoa in Auckland. Graham’s end arrived on Monday after receiving two yellow cards and leaving Scotland with one man less in the final part of their 29-14 defeat to Fiji in Suva. The Glasgow Warriors loosehead prop, Sutherland, who played in two matches on the previous Lions tour of South Africa, will join the camp in Melbourne later this week along with Edinburgh hooker, Ewan Ashman.