The Wallabies will be without powerhouse prop Taniela Tupou for their Rugby Championship opener against the Springboks in front of a sell-out crowd at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
As reported by ESPN on Wednesday, Tupou was on Thursday left out of Joe Schmidt's team to face the world champions in Brisbane. A Wallabies spokesperson confirmed that Tupou's father had recently passed away.
With Tupou out, veteran front-rower Allan Alaalatoa retains his place in the No. 3 jersey from Australia's win over Georgia, the Brumbies prop set to captain the side once again.
Alaalatoa is joined in the front-row by Isaac Kailea with Schmidt resisting opting against rushing back Angus Bell or reverting to the vastly-experienced James Slipper.
Kailea came off the bench in both of the Wallabies' wins over Wales, before he earned a start in the closing victory over Georgia in Sydney, capping a meteoric rise for a player who was virtually unknown outside the now-defunct Melbourne Rebels at the start of the year.
Meanwhile, Western Force breakaway Carlo Tizzano will win his first Test cap with the 24-year-old having edged Luke Reimer to replace the injured Fraser McReight in the No. 7 jersey.
The West Australian enjoyed his finest Super Rugby season to date this year, having returned home to Perth after stints in Sydney with the Waratahs and in the English Championship with Ealing Trailfinders.
"I'm not sure that you can ever get like for like," Schmidt told reporters in Brisbane when asked if Tizzano and McReight were similar players. "We just felt that Carlo would suit the combination that we picked in the back-row and in the second-row and so best complement that really.
"He's such a good young man and we're really excited about watching him get underway in 48 hours' time. His energy is relatively positive, more than abrasive but he fights for everything, Carlo, and that's what first caught our eye.
"He's quite a dynamic competitor around the breakdown and I think in the context of losing Fraser, we needed someone who could bring elements of Fraser's game but probably not all of them. That's why we were picking Fraser before but it's a great opportunity for Carlo."
Tizzano starts in the back-row alongside No. 8 Harry Wilson and reigning John Eales Medallist Rob Valetini.
The Wallabies will welcome back Lukhan Salakaia-Loto in the second-row, with the Queensland Reds-bound lock to pack down alongside Nick Frost.
In the backs, Jake Gordon and Noah Lolesio reform the halves partnership that started in the back-to-back wins over Wales, while Marika Koroibete will have to wait at least another week to play his first Test of the year after returning from Japan.
Schmidt has brought Andrew Kellaway back into the starting XV alongside Tom Wright and Filipo Daugunu, the Fijian having served his ban following a red card in the win over Georgia.
"Marika wasn't quite ready. This week was about orientating him and getting him back up to speed," Schmidt said.
"I think Marika will be available beyond this week, but this week was a little bit too soon. Marika and I had a chat at the start of the week.
"It's a little bit the same with Corey Toole, Max Jorgensen, those guys who were fresh in this week. It's a whole new language to learn. Just to get comfortable in the systems, it's just to give him enough time really.
"He's fitted in really well. He's a character, Marika, around about the place in a really positive sense. He has a real sense of the game that allows him to get involved at the right moments. He works hard across the field. I've always thought, coaching against him, that he's an absolute handful."
Meanwhile, Tom Lynagh will have another opportunity to impress off the bench after he was named as the fly-half replacement ahead of Ben Donaldson, who had an indifferent afternoon against Georgia. And Brumbies back-rower Luke Reimer will look to add impact at the breakdown, after he was included among the replacements for what will be his first taste of Test-match rugby.
The Springboks on Tuesday night named an imposing run-on XV for Saturday's clash, though coach Rassie Erasmus did spring one surprise with the selection of Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu ahead of veteran Handre Pollard at No. 10.
Australia and South Africa split their two-Test clash one apiece in 2022, the Wallabies Australia triumphing in Adelaide before the Springboks proved far too strong in Sydney a week later.
AUSTRALIA: Tom Wright, Andrew Kellaway, Len Ikitau, Hunter Paisami, Filipo Daugunu, Noah Lolesio, Jake Gordon, Harry Wilson, Carlo Tizzano, Rob Valetini, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Nick Frost, Allan Alaalatoa (c), Matt Faessler, Isaac Kailea. Replacements: Josh Nasser, James Slipper, Zane Nonggorr, Jeremy Williams, Luke Reimer, Tate McDermott, Tom Lynagh, Dylan Pietsch