Wallabies call up two replacements after injuries ahead of Bledisloe Cup rematch

The Australians were left licking their wounds in Auckland on Saturday night, and the 19-50 loss to the All Blacks was compounded after the confirmation that concussed Ikitau and ankle-stricken Petaia won't be available for the Sydney rematch.

Ikitau exited the Eden Park defeat after half an hour, and his failed head injury assessment has left him facing the mandatory return-to-play protocols.

Last capped at Rugby World Cup 2023, Petaia was recalled to the Wallabies squad by Kiss for last month's win over the Springboks. The new Urayasu D-Rocks signing remained with the squad as cover following Hunter Paisami's suspension, but his hopes of involvement have been dashed by a training ground ankle issue.

Kiss has reacted by calling up Corey Toole and the uncapped Kadin Pritchard. Toole made six Wallaby appearances last year on the wing, but the inclusion of Pritchard will provide plenty of food for thought.

Joseph Suaalii returned to the midfield from the wing after Ikitau's exit in Auckland, linking up with Isaac Henry, while Filipo Daugunu has experience playing in the midfield when Kiss was in charge of the Reds.

Reflecting on the loss of the injured Ikitau at a time in the Eden Park match where the Wallabies only trailed 7-14, Kiss said: "It doesn't help, that's for sure, the experience in the midfield that you're after, but I do think the boys went pretty well.

"I don't think that was the crux of our issue. It was across the board. They (the All Blacks) got quick ball, they played it well, they put us under pressure, they won an aerial battle. We just couldn't get the game into the area that we wanted to be able to play our game.

"They were certainly a lot more accurate than our kicks when we put them up, that's for sure. And it was just in this position where you're trying to go back or forward to catch the ball and they had the momentum on it each time.

"It's not just the win of the ball, it's what happens after that. And I thought a couple of times they were just on the front foot and we just didn't match that at that time."

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