Wallabies name team to welcome Georgia
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Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt is confident the refreshed side can deliver success as he tests his depth against Georgia.
Schmidt has made ten changes to the starting side that defeated Wales last week for Saturday's clash at Allianz Stadium.
Schmidt concedes it's an 'impossible balance' to strike as he tries to expose his squad to further action before the Rugby Championship.
However, he backs his squad to deliver, with Test returns for the likes of Harry Wilson, Len Ikitau, and Nick Frost in key positions.
"It's an impossible balance to get dead right because you're not sure until the team goes out there that you've done the right thing," Schmidt explained to reporters. "We have huge respect for Georgia. We'd predict that they won't have anything like as many changes (as us), and they will see an opportunity...people just have to have faith in the changes and we've got faith in the changes.
"We do believe that we're putting a good side out and they'll demonstrate that, but I'm sure the Georgians will have something to say about that.
"...When you do make those many changes, you lose a bit of your rhythm and that's a risk for us. But if we don't do it, then we're not quite sure where we sit with some of the guys in the squad.
"We've got a very short-term focus, long-term view, and I know that's a paradox, but it's a paradox that you almost have to employ so that you best vaccinate against future injury or future changes or form.
"At the same time, you offer opportunities to players who a number of them have been in the Test arena before like Harry Wilson and Len Ikitau so it's not like the seven debutants from the first Test."
Rebels flyer Darby Lancaster headlines the changes, set to make his Wallabies debut just nine games into his Super Rugby career.
Lancaster has had an incredible 18 months that includes featuring at the U20s World Championships and on the Sevens world series for Australia, slated for a potential Olympic appearance before his selection by Joe Schmidt in the July squad.
"He's fast and he's very quick," Schmidt noted to reporters.
"He's a young player that is at the start of his career and we want to try to kick-start the career because the only way you can try to kick-start a career is to put them in the cauldron and best prepare them.
"We'll see how they measure up."
Allan Alaalatoa will lead the side, with Liam Wright's shoulder injury still causing the backrower problems.
"His shoulder's just taken a bit longer than we would have liked," Schmidt notes. "So, I don't know if he'll make it for the Reds-Tonga game (next week), but he just wasn't in time for us this week and we'll just see how that pans out over the next few weeks.
"We obviously have to name another squad in maybe two and a half weeks and that'll give us time to just have a look at what this squad has achieved and then build on whatever we feel we need to have for the TRC."
NSW Waratahs number eight Langi Gleeson joins him on the sidelines for the short term, rolling his ankle in the win.
