Mata’utia set to be youngest ever Kangaroo as Sheens makes changes

Australia coach Tim Sheens has responded to Saturday’s defeat to New Zealand by making some adjustments to his team to face England this weekend.

Newcastle Knights winger Sione Mata’utia is included, and he will become the youngest ever test Kangaroo when he lines up in Melbourne on Sunday, at the age of just 18 years and 129 days old.

Sheens has also moved Corey Parker to loose forward, and dropped Ryan Hoffman to the bench.

Greg Bird, who wrote off England‘s chances of making the Four Nations final in the wake of his team’s heavy defeat to New Zealand, moves from loose forward to second row. 

AUSTRALIA:
Greg Inglis, Josh Mansour, Michael Jennings, Dylan Walker, Sione Mata’utia, Daly Cherry-Evans, Cooper Cronk, Aaron Woods, Cameron Smith (capt), Sam Thaiday, Beau Scott, Greg Bird, Corey Parker. Interchange: Boyd Cordner, Robbie Farah, Aidan Guerra, Ryan Hoffman, Ben Hunt, David Klemmer, Josh Papalii (three to be omitted).