Hard-working Rebels prop Matt Gibbon is one of four uncapped players named in the Wallabies squad to tour Argentina for the opening two Tests of the Rugby Championship.
Gibbon’s selection comes after Angus Bell injured his toe in Saturday’s third Test loss against England at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
The other uncapped players are Reds fullback Jock Campbell, Rebels prop Pone Fa’amausili and Waratahs forward Jed Holloway.
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Wallabies coach Dave Rennie has also brought Lalakai Foketi and Fraser McReight into a 36-man squad following strong performances for Australia A in the Pacific Nations Cup.
As forecast, giant lock Rory Arnold has replaced Commonwealth Games-bound Samu Kerevi as one of three overseas-based picks while Brumbies centre Irae Simone is also included.
Quade Cooper and Jordan Petaia have recovered from injury but Tom Banks (arm), Izack Rodda (foot), Cadeyrn Neville (knee), Izaia Perese (knee), Ned Hanigan (knee) and Harry Johnson-Holmes (Achilles) have not.
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The squad will assemble on the Gold Coast on Tuesday before travelling to Argentina for the first Test against Michael Cheika’s Pumas in Mendoza on August 7 (AEST).
“We were massively disappointed on the weekend but we’re only three matches into a 14 Test season so we need to take the lessons on board quickly and learn from them,” Rennie said.
“To be able to pick guys who have performed well in the Australia A program against quality international opposition is a massive positive and we’re looking forward to welcoming them to the mob next week.
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“We’re well aware of how tough the challenge is of playing Argentina two weeks in a row on their home soil and they’ll be full of confidence after their series win over Scotland.”
The 27-year-old Gibbon has an inspirational backstory which he shared with the Herald Sun in 2020.
Until he was 10, Gibbon and brother Alex lived in Alstonville, NSW, with their parents who both have severe mental disabilities.
Gibbon explained that his mother Chrissy was “amazing, always positive and very loving” but caring for two children became untenable.
“They thought they could be responsible enough, but they just couldn’t,” Gibbon said.
“There were some pretty dark times, not great people hanging around the house.
“It wasn’t a great environment for kids. My parents were aware of every day things, but they just didn’t understand them properly. When you are young, you can talk to them.
“But when you are older, you realise the difference, and how significant it was.”
So the Gibbon brothers then moved to their grandfather’s cattle farm to live.
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“I’d be up in the morning milking a cow, or there’d be one loose on the road. I’d have to go get it and then I’d go to school. It was much more stable (environment),” Gibbon said.
“My grandfather was my first rugby coach, too. He used to make us run at training, and one time we just said we wouldn’t run, and he said ‘OK’ and walked off to his car. He came back with a stock whip and cracked it a few times. You should have seen us run.”
WALLABIES SQUAD: Michael Hooper (c), Allan Alaalatoa, Rory Arnold, Jock Campbell, Quade Cooper, Pone Fa’amausili, Folau Fainga’a, Lalakai Foketi, Nick Frost, Matt Gibbon, Jake Gordon, Reece Hodge, Jed Holloway, Len Ikitau, Marika Koroibete, Rob Leota, Noah Lolesio, Lachlan Lonergan, Tate McDermott, Fraser McReight, James O’Connor, Hunter Paisami, Jordan Petaia, Matt Philip, David Porecki, Pete Samu, Irae Simone, Scott Sio, James Slipper, Darcy Swain, Taniela Tupou, Rob Valetini, Suliasi Vunivalu, Nic White, Harry Wilson, Tom Wright
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