Suaalii, Ikitau and Jorgensen near fitness as Kiss names Argentina squad

Three of Australia’s most dangerous backs are closing in on fitness for the Wallabies’ two-Test tour of Argentina, with head coach Les Kiss expected to name his squad on Wednesday ahead of the opening match in San Salvador on August 29.

Max Jorgensen, who limped off with sore ribs following a collision during Australia’s win over Japan in Townsville on Saturday, is understood to be fit to travel. Centres Len Ikitau (ankle) and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii (hamstring) are also firming for returns, giving Kiss a welcome selection headache after he has cast the net wide across his first two Tests in charge.

Kiss has been deliberately expansive in his team management since taking over. He left his most experienced props on the bench in Osaka, then rested key trio Rob Valetini, Allan Alaalatoa and Josh Canham for the Townsville rematch against Japan. With Suaalii absent, Isaac Henry was handed a start at inside centre alongside a clutch of fringe players — including Lachlan Shaw, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto and Massimo De Lutiis — who all delivered. Kiss also shifted No.8 Harry Wilson into the second row late in the Townsville game to give Carlo Tizzano and Fraser McReight time together at the breakdown.

Tom Hooper, who carries a shoulder complaint, was available in North Queensland but went unused, underlining the depth of options Kiss can call upon against the world-ranked No.7 Pumas.

The coach is keen to reframe how his rotation policy is perceived. “Are they experiments? I think there’s a lot of good men in that team that know they can flex into different positions, so I like to think that it’s more than just experimentation,” Kiss said. “It’s just having a real trust and faith that they can do this in different ways, and that we don’t lose momentum about what we are and what we do. We trust that we have a different way that we can use our resources.”

Australia arrive in South America on a three-match winning streak, having scored more than 50 points in two of those victories after a six-Test losing run that straddled the turn of the year. Argentina, meanwhile, have beaten Wales but lost home Nations Championship fixtures to Scotland and England, and were edged 17-10 by South Africa in Buenos Aires earlier this month.

Wins over the Pumas would likely lift the Wallabies from eighth to seventh in the world rankings and pile pressure on Scotland and England, who sit two and three points respectively ahead of Australia in sixth and fifth — with next year’s Rugby World Cup already shaping Kiss’s thinking at the selection table.

In a separate development, teenage Queensland Reds back Treyvon Pritchard has formally signed a contract extension, nearly three weeks after his retention — and his rejection of NRL newcomers PNG Chiefs — was first reported.