Nic White has unretired for a second time as the Wallabies prepare to be without halfback Tate McDermott for the long-term.
McDermott was forced off the pitch in just the 18th minute in Bledisloe I in Auckland with a leg injury forcing debutant Ryan Lonergan to take to the pitch much earlier than expected.
While Jake Gordon is expected to be fully fit for the return clash in Perth on Saturday, Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt has once again turned to 35-year-old White as cover.
White originally retired from international rugby ahead of the final British & Irish Lions Test in Sydney in July, he quickly reversed his decision after it was revealed Gordon would be unavailable for the opening rounds of the Rugby Championship in South Africa.
Featuring in the first four TRC matches, White announced he was hanging up the boots following the Wallabies loss to the Pumas in Sydney in early September. Once again his life in retirement was short lived.
"Tate appears to have damaged his hamstring, so we'll get something pretty early in the week to determine what degree of damage that is and update then," Schmidt said after Australia's 33-24 loss to the All Blacks.
"But it doesn't look great.
"Whitey, he is the gift that keeps on giving, you know. We had Whitey in the (Auckland) changing room there now, so he's not too far away and he lives in Perth. And he's such a good character within the team. I haven't had any discussion with him.
"At the moment, I just feel for Tate, 50th game ... and just got collapsed in that ruck, unfortunately."
On Sunday, the Wallabies confirmed White, Skelton, Valetini and centre Josh Flook would all join their squad in Perth.
Following South Africa's 67-30 hammering of Argentina in Durban, the Springboks have taken a one-point lead on the Rugby Championship table with Australia and New Zealand both hunting for a bonus-point victory in Perth to give themselves a chance of winning the RC title.
