The Wallabies could be relying on some Manu Samoa power to help them claim a win tomorrow night.
There was always going to be a reshuffle in the beaten up front row after last week’s 38‑13 Sydney encounter and when the Tongan Thor Taniela Tupou was again ruled out, a couple of Samoan childhood mates were reunited in the starting side.
Scott Sio and Allen Alaalatoa have been named to start in the front row on either side – something their fathers did for Samoa during the 1991 Rugby World Cup.
Tavita Sio and Vili Alaalatoa were the props for Samoa’s historic quarter‑final run in 1991 and now their sons are continuing the front‑rowing partnership for Australia.
Sio says for their fathers to do it for Samoa and for them to do it for the Wallabies is a huge achievement.
The Wallabies will play the All Blacks at 7.35pm tomorrow in Auckland.
It’s just the second time it’s happened in Sio and Alaalatoa’s careers – the first was in 2016 against the All Blacks in Sydney when Alaalatoa made his Wallabies debut off the bench.
They’ll be hoping for a different result from that match though, with the All Blacks winning 42‑8.
[Source: TV NZ]
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