5 Sep 2016

Speight and Arnold join Wallabies

8:24 am on 5 September 2016

Winger Henry Speight and lock Rory Arnold have been included in Michael Cheika's Wallabies squad for their upcoming Rugby Championship tests against South Africa and Argentina, with four uncapped players also named.

The Brumbies and Wallabies winger Henry Speight in Super Rugby action.

The Brumbies and Wallabies winger Henry Speight in Super Rugby action. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Speight, 28, returns to the squad after playing for Australia's rugby sevens side at the Rio Olympics where they reached the quarter-finals, while Arnold has overcome an elbow injury to feature and will look to build on strong showings in his two tests to date.

Fiji-born Sefa Naivalu of Melbourne Rebels is yet to complete his nationality switch, but will train with the squad before becoming eligible on September 18th and is one of four uncapped inclusions alongside Kyle Godwin, Lopeti Timani and Tom Robertson.

Cheika has already handed debuts to seven players in 2016, but his inexperienced squad has also lost 116-cap Adam Ashley-Cooper, who has returned to France for the 2016-17 Top 14 season with Bordeaux Begles.

Matt Giteau, Ben McCalman, Matt Toomua and Rob Horne miss out due to injury, but fit-again Luke Morahan returns.

The Wallabies meet South Africa in Brisbane next weekend before facing Argentina in Perth on Saturday September 17th.

Wallabies squad: Allan Alaalatoa, Rory Arnold, Adam Coleman, Quade Cooper, Kane Douglas, Scott Fardy, Israel Folau, Bernard Foley, Will Genia, Kyle Godwin, James Hanson, Dane Haylett-Petty, Reece Hodge, Michael Hooper, Sekope Kepu, Samu Kerevi, Tevita Kuridrani, Sean McMahon, Drew Mitchell, Stephen Moore (c), Luke Morahan, Dean Mumm, Sefa Naivalu, Nick Phipps, David Pocock, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Tom Robertson, Rob Simmons, Scott Sio, Will Skelton, Henry Speight, James Slipper, Lopeti Timani

- Reuters