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RISING Western Force star Kyle Godwin will get the chance to make a Test debut in his home town after being named in a 30-man Wallabies’ squad to meet the Springboks in Perth next week.
Godwin and hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau have been included in the Australian squad by coach Ewen McKenzie as replacements for Pat McCabe and Nathan Charles, who were both injured against the All Blacks in Auckland.
Both were serious complaints, with McCabe having announced his retirement and Charles set to miss the remainder of the 2014 season after suffering a pectoral tear.
The depth of hooker remains troubling and despite the fact Polota-Nau won’t be considered for selection against South Africa on Saturday week, his probable return from a knee injury against Argentina a week later will be welcome news.
James Hanson and Saia Faingaa set to fill the hooker roles against the Boks, and Force no.2 Heath Tessman to train with the squad as a back-up.
After several false-starts on the Wallaby front Godwin has been drafted in as a centre, filling the gap left by McCabe.
Godwin, 22, would have won Wallaby call-ups for last year’s Spring Tour and this year’s June Test series but was rubbed out of calculations due to untimely shoulder and knee injuries respectively.
“Kyle is someone who has been on the national radar for some time, but unfortunately hasn’t had much of an opportunity to join the Wallabies environment due to injury,” McKenzie said in a statement.
“He now gets his chance to join the squad, and we’ll look forward to learning more about him.”
The Zimbabwe-born centre will potentially compete with Christian Lealiifano and Peter Betham for a bench role.
Experienced lock James Horwill also returned to the squad after missing out for the Bledisloe series, and will be considered as an option to add some starch to the Wallabies pack against the Boks.
Wallabies squad
PROP: Ben Alexander, Pek Cowan, Sekope Kepu, James Slipper
HOOKER: Saia Fainga’a, James Hanson, Tatafu Polota-Nau
LOCK: Sam Carter, James Horwill, Rob Simmons, Will Skelton
BACKROW: Scott Fardy, Scott Higginbotham, Matt Hodgson, Michael Hooper (c), Ben McCalman, Wycliff Palu
SCRUMHALF: Luke Burgess, Nick Phipps, Nic White
FLYHALF: Kurtley Beale, Bernard Foley
CENTRE: Kyle Godwin, Tevita Kuridrani, Christian Leali’ifano, Matt Toomua
BACK-THREE: Adam Ashley-Cooper, Peter Betham, Israel Folau
http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/...-1227038651002