Dan Leavy will present a different type of threat to Australia when they face Ireland in the second Test in Melbourne, according to Michael Hooper.
The 24-year-old wing forward, who starred for Ireland and Leinster in the Six Nations and Champions Cup, replaces Jordi Murphy in the side and he’ll face a back row that includes Hooper and David Pocock, man of the match in the Brisbane Test.
The Wallabies skipper is looking forward to facing Leavy, who will win his tenth cap tomorrow.
"Dan Leavy, I’ve heard a lot about him and especially in his Six Nations performances," Hooper, whose side lead the three-Test series, told RTÉ Sport.
"[He’s] a really quality young flanker, likes to get the ball in hand and really grinds, so another challenge, a different picture for us to see.
"Obviously Poey [Pocock) was outstanding at the ruck last week but early on in that game I thought the Irish were quite good over the ball, they turned it over a couple of times, certainly in the wide channels.
"Our back five, from four to eight, probably didn’t carry the ball as much as we would have liked.
"It was [number 8] Caleb Timu’s debut game last week so he was getting a feel for it.
"[We] expect him to understand the pace tomorrow and come out without those sort of pre-nerves and to get his hand on the ball because he’s such a threat.
"We’re seeing so much quality from him. He’s taken to it really well."
Australia coach Michael Cheika has kept faith with the 23 who delivered the win last week and Hooper is expecting something of a backlash as the tourists look to salvage the series.
"You've got a bunch of guys who want to come in and make a point," the Waratahs flanker said.
"No one likes missing out on a game, every player understands teams rotating and wanting to get game time for different players, so, if I was in their shoes, you want to come out and make a difference and I'm sure all their forwards are thinking that way.
"It was a very physical game (last week), a great crowd up there in Brisbane and I'm expecting very much the same here tomorrow.
"And for it to go the duration, we expect it to go blow for blow throughout. They're such a class team, the Irish, and they'll be fired up. We expect them to bring out some real heat and good firepower throughout the game.
"We have to be able to weather that and also put ourselves on the field."
Australia: I Folau; D Haylett-Petty, S Kerevi, K Beale, M Koroibete; B Foley, W Genia; S Sio, B Paenga-Amosa, S Kepu; I Rodda, A Coleman; D Pocock, M Hooper(capt), C Timu. Reps: T Latu, T Robertson, T Tupou; R Simmons, L Tui, P Samu, N Phipps, R Hodge.
Ireland: R Kearney; A Conway, G Ringrose, R Henshaw, K Earls; J Sexton, C Murray; C Healy, S Cronin, T Furlong; D Toner, James Ryan; P O'Mahony (capt), D Leavy, CJ Stander. Reps: R Herring, J McGrath, A Porter, T Beirne, J Murphy, J Cooney, J Carbery, J Larmour.
Referee: P Williams (New Zealand)
Listen to Australia v Ireland on 2fm at 11am on Saturday morning or follow the live blog on RTÉ.ie
