Australia changed the back row and midfield after the critical loss to Wales for its last pool match against Portugal at the Rugby World Cup on Sunday.

Flanker Fraser Mcreight is off the bench to swap places with Rob Leota, and Waratahs pair Lalakai Foketi and Izaia Perese are the centers instead of Samu Kerevi and Jordan Petaia, who have been dropped.

Perese will make his first start in his sixth test at outside center.

Brought into the reserves with Leota, who is covering the second row, were one-cap back-rower Josh Kemeny and two-cap scrumhalf Issak Fines-Leleiwasa.

Consecutive defeats to Fiji by 22-15 and Wales by 40-6 have left the Wallabies on the verge of missing the quarterfinals for the first time.

Fiji is expected to beat Georgia on Saturday and Portugal next week to overtake the Wallabies in the Pool C standings.

The Wallabies are expected to beat Portugal to complete their worst pool campaign.

“This is an important game for this young team to attack from the first minute to the 80th. We need to empty the tank,” Australia coach Eddie Jones said on Friday.

“We have a responsibility to put in a performance that makes supporters proud on Sunday, those that have travelled to France and at home in Australia.”

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Australia: Andrew Kellaway, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Izaia Perese, Lalakai Foketi, Marika Koroibete, Ben Donaldson, Tate McDermott; Rob Valetini, Fraser McReight, Tom Hooper, Richard Arnold, Nick Frost, James Slipper, David Porecki (captain), Angus Bell. Reserves: Matt Faessler, Blake Schoupp, Pone Fa’amausili, Rob Leota, Josh Kemeny, Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, Carter Gordon, Suliasi Vunivalu.

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AP Rugby World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby