Overview
- Carter Gordon and Ben Donaldson were both ruled out with calf injuries after the Ireland match, with Gordon confirmed to miss at least the next two Tests.
- Declan Meredith, 27, was promoted from the Brumbies and will make his Test debut at fly-half, partnering familiar club halfback Ryan Lonergan.
- Reds veteran Jock Campbell has been moved from the starting XV to the bench to provide emergency cover at No.10 despite never having started professionally in that role.
- Flanker Tom Hooper was ruled out with a shoulder injury and Nick Champion de Crespigny was added to the replacements, leaving Joe Schmidt to reset the side for France.
- Meredith is the sixth different Wallabies starting five-eighth in about a year, a pattern driven by recurring soft-tissue injuries that raise selection and workload questions ahead of the Nations Championship.