Rob Simmons admits he was shocked to earn a Wallabies recall against the All Blacks given the topsy-turvy year he's had at Super Rugby level.Â
It came as coach Michael Cheika called for Simmons to "put his foot down" and assert himself at Test level after the discarded Queensland Reds second-rower was named to face the All Blacks in Dunedin.Â
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All Blacks school Wallabies in opening Bledisloe
A near perfect first half from the All Blacks left the Wallabies attempting to claw back some respectability in the opening game of the Rugby Championship.
Unwanted at the Reds, Simmons has been shown an enormous amount of faith by Cheika after being picked to start alongside Adam Coleman in the second row on Saturday.Â
Simmons, who was not offered a contract by Queensland for next year's Super Rugby season, will line up in his 17th match against the All Blacks as the Wallabies attempt to keep the Bledisloe Cup series alive.Â
Simmons came off the bench at ANZ Stadium on Saturday but did not feature in any of the three June Tests after a disappointing Super Rugby season.
"There was a little bit of shock, considering the year it's been but to hear my name read out, it was a bit of a surprise," Simmons said. "I was pretty excited to get the chance to go out there and start the game.
"[This year] has had its ups and downs but it's been tough just to get your head around what's happening. You can only try your best to put your best foot forward each week.
"He [Cheika] has given me an opportunity this weekend and I want to repay that and go out there and do my job really well."Â
![Opportunity: Rob Simmons will face the All Blacks for the 17th time.](http://web.archive.org./web/20170826130205im_/https://www.fairfaxstatic.com.au/content/dam/images/g/k/i/5/m/k/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gy2vgm.png/1503558396400.jpg)
Simmons and Coleman will do battle with All Blacks second-rowers Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock, arguably rugby's finest players in that position.Â
There is a degree of risk picking Simmons in such a crucial game, but Cheika is confident the 28-year-old can find the form that made him one of Australia's best in 2015. Â
"It's an opportunity for Simmons to put his foot down now," Cheika said. "He's having a change in his own career now and a new step forward for him and his Super Rugby career. It's time he puts a marker down for his international career as well in dominating that lock position.Â
"Saturday is the day for him to show up and say, 'yeah, this is what I can do'. He knows that as well. It's not anything I wouldn't say to him directly either.Â
"It was more to do with the configuration of the locks together, giving Adam a little bit more option in the lineout. We didn't get a lot of lineouts last week but we know they're a very good defensive lineout team. They'll try and put pressure on us now they've seen a game. They'll try and put a bit more pressure there and Rob's good in the lineout."Â
Simmons' inclusion is one of three changes Cheika has made to the starting XV, with winger Dane Haylett-Petty returning to the fold after a biceps injury and Tevita Kuridrani replacing Samu Kerevi at outside-centre.Â
Kerevi has been punted from the match-day 23 after a below-par performance in Sydney where he was exposed defensively on a number of occasions.Â
Rona, who made his debut on the weekend, will drop to the bench.Â
"[I] just [wanted] a little but more flexibility with that position," Cheika said. "Curtis can play on the wing, in the centres. I know it was his first game and it was a pretty crazy game in the first one last weekend ... he's got a big career in front of him."Â
Rory Arnold has also been relegated to the finishers in place of Simmons, while Lopeti Timani and Jack Dempsey will fight it out for a reserve back-row spot.Â
"Both of them have carried little injuries throughout the week so we'll just have a look and see which one brushes up better tomorrow and go from there," Cheika said.Â
The last time the Wallabies won in New Zealand was in Dunedin in 2001.Â
Wallabies team to play All Blacks in Dunedin
1. Scott Sio (33 Tests)
2. Stephen Moore (121 Tests)
3. Allan Alaalatoa (13 Tests)
4. Rob Simmons (72 Tests)
5. Adam Coleman (13 Tests)
6. Ned Hanigan (4 Tests)
7. Michael Hooper (c) (69 Tests)
8. Sean McMahon (16 Tests)
9. Will Genia (79 Tests)
10. Bernard Foley (46 Tests)
11. Henry Speight (13 Tests)
12. Kurtley Beale (61 Tests)
13. Tevita Kuridrani (48 Tests)
14. Dane Haylett-Petty (17 Tests)
15. Israel Folau (56 Tests)
Reserves
16. Tatafu Polota-Nau (72 Tests)
17. Tom Robertson (10 Tests)
18. Sekope Kepu (81 Tests)
19. Rory Arnold (13 Tests)
20. Lopeti Timani (8 Tests)/Jack Dempsey (1 Test)
21. Nick Phipps (53 Tests)
22. Reece Hodge (14 Tests)
23. Curtis Rona (1 Test)Â
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