Wallabies call on Nick Champion de Crespigny for surprise debut in Lions opener

Injuries to Rob Valetini and Langi Gleeson make way for 29-year-oldWill Skelton also out while No 8 Harry Wilson retains captaincyAustralia insist they still have enough firepower to upset the British & Irish Lions despite the loss of a number of influential players through injury. Their big back-rower Rob Valetini, the massive lock Will Skelton and the in-form Langi Gleeson are all conspicuously absent from their first Test lineup, forcing head coach Joe Schmidt to turn to the uncapped flanker Nick Champion de Crespigny instead.With the fly-half jersey entrusted to the inexperienced Tom Lynagh and a reshuffled front row it is not the side Schmidt would have originally envisaged picking for a game of this magnitude. Valetini, Skelton and Gleeson are all expected to be fit for the second Test in Melbourne but if the Wallabies are going to win this series they will almost certainly need a fast start. Continue reading...

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