Wallabies

The Australians defeated Manu Samoa 34-15 in Parramatta on Saturday, in the final test for both countries before departing to the Rugby World Cup in Japan.

Samoa's Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, made the invitation to the Australian PM, Scott Morrison, during bilateral talks between the two leaders in Sydney over the weekend.

The Fijian born quartet of Isi Naisarani, Samu Kerevi. Marika Koroibete and Tevita Kuridrani are  likely to be in the Wallabies team against Fiji a the Sapporo Dome on September 21 and Nakarawa recognises it could be an unwanted distraction.

However, the Racing 92 lock who won a  Sevens gold medal at the Rio Olympics, told the FijiSun: “Other Fijians play for other countries for their own personal reasons. We don’t want to think or are bothered about them. We want to focus on what we can do and tasked to achieve at the World Cup.

Pocock, who hasn’t played since March due to an ongoing calf injury, will lead the Wallabies out on to Bankwest Stadium on Saturday in their last Test before flying to Japan ahead of the World Cup tournament.

The 31-year-old flanker is one of several experienced campaigners included in the starting 15, including Test centurions Adam Ashley-Cooper, Will Genia and Sekope Kepu.

The latter two have already confirmed they will retire from international rugby after the World Cup, while veteran hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau announced on Wednesday he will join them.

The 33-year-old Kepu, who last year became the first prop to play 100 Tests for Australia, announced on Monday his plans to step down from international rugby.

It brings to an end his ties to Australian rugby after quitting the NSW Waratahs to play with UK club London Irish after the global tournament in Japan, which starts later this month.

Kepu is set to farewell fans at the Wallabies' final World Cup warm-up game, against Samoa at Sydney's Bankwest Stadium on Saturday.

The senior figure of the group is 33-year-old Kepu, of Tongan descent, who has amassed 105 caps, a record for a Wallabies prop.

When Australia won their first World Cup in 1991, the team included Tongan-born powerhouse Willie Ofahengaue.

Eight years later, the triumphant 1999 Wallabies side included another explosive backrower of Tongan heritage in Toutai Kefu.

But Ofahengaue and Kefu were the only Polynesians in their respective starting XVs.

Led by Head Coach Nick Scrivener, the Vikings, who reached the semi-final stage last season only to fall to the Fijian Drua in the Pacific Islands, have named a strong-looking group of players that includes full Wallabies internationals Tom Banks, Joe Powell, Pete Samu and Blake Enever.

There’s a real emphasis on youth amongst the group with promising young talent such as Junior Wallabies props Bo Abra and Angus Wagner, hooker Lachlan Lonergan, and backs Noah Lolesio, Bayley Kuenzle and Len Ikitau, set to take the tournament by storm.

It comes as 19-year-old young gun Jordan Petaia became the youngest player to be named in a Wallabies World Cup squad, while Tatafu Polota-Nau, Tom Banks, Joe Powell, Nick Phipps, Luke Jones, Tom Robertson, Pete Samu and Jack Maddocks were all left out by the three-man selection panel.

Will Skelton's name also does not feature on the final list, with negotiations and a late bid to get him to a second World Cup never getting out of first gear.

Williams made a devastating contribution to New Zealand's 36-0 trouncing of Australia's Bledisloe Cup hopes at Eden Park on Saturday, scoring one try after missing the last two tests.

Kerevi was one of the defenders he minced on his charge for the try line. All Blacks coach Steve Hansen will have to pause for thought before he starts crossing out names on New Zealand's World Cup squad list.

New Zealand bounced back from a record defeat in game one at Perth with a resounding 36-0 victory over the Wallabies in Auckland on Saturday night.

A number of players shone for the All Blacks at Eden Park and Hansen believed that could be viewed in two ways.

"A few people really put their hand up last night and where we had question marks, we no longer have question marks," he said on Sunday.

"In other ways, it makes it a bit tougher, too.

Slack was the last captain to lead the Wallabies to victory over the All Blacks at Eden Park in 1986 with the win clinching the Bledisloe Cup.

Slack says he wants the same players who trounced New Zealand 47-26 in Perth last weekend rewarded with selection for game two.

Four years ago the Wallabies were in the same scenario after winning their opening Test in Sydney but coach Michael Cheika changed most of his backline.

two members of the forward pack with Australia then losing 41-13.