SYDNEY – Giant winger Taqele Naiyaravoro has a chance to make his Test debut against the United States in Chicago this weekend, after being one of three players called in to help the Wallabies World Cup squad’s preparations.
Naiyaravoro has arrived at the team’s camp at Notre Dame University in Indiana after playing in the Barbarians’ 27-24 win over Samoa in London, while lock Sam Carter and hooker James Hanson will link with the squad after getting some game time in the opening rounds of the National Rugby Championship.
“We just wanted to have a couple of extras in the camp with some of the plans that we’ve got for what we’re going to do with the team and how we’re going to train over the next two weeks,” Wallabies’ coach Michael Cheika told AAP.
Naiyaravoro enjoyed a strong season with the Waratahs and scored a hat-trick of tries for a World XV against Japan in Tokyo in mid-August.
“He’s had a couple of pseudo-international runs playing with the Barbarians and World XV against national teams, so he’s had a bit of a taste of that level,” Cheika said.
“I would say it’s likely that he will see some time in the match this week, it’s just a matter of how everyone turns up tomorrow and how they are feeling.”
Carter was probably the unluckiest of the three additional players joining the squad this week to miss out on World Cup selection.
He started 11 Tests last year, but suffered a medial ligament knee injury playing Super Rugby for the Brumbies in late May.
While he was injured, Dean Mumm and Kane Douglas moved ahead of him in the pecking order to win squad spots after returning from overseas club teams.
“You’d have to think Sam Carter was in prime position before he got injured,” Cheika said.
“He didn’t have any footy under his belt at all by the time we came to pick the squad. His first game was the day after.
