ACT Brumbies hooker Connal McInerney set for Wallabies debut against Japan

"That was tough to hear," McInerney said. "But he wasn't wrong."

So you can imagine the pride they both felt when McInerney was named on the Wallabies' bench for a Test debut against Japan in Oita on Saturday.

The ACT Brumbies hooker buried his head in his hands the moment his name was read out, as a wide grin stretched across the face of his Super Rugby mentor and Wallabies forwards coach McKellar.

The kid who wasn't up to scratch will wear Wallaby gold.

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McInerney had once traded his professional rugby dream for a job in Sydney delivering new cars to businesses around the harbour city. He thought he'd fallen off the Brumbies' radar.

He was sitting inside a Sydney pub "ripping into a parmi" and watching the Brumbies play Melbourne in March 2018. Then he fell silent as Brumbies hooker Josh Mann-Rea went down injured.

His phone lit up with messages that night, but the one that changed his life came the next morning. It was McKellar.

"I was ready for Super Rugby then. He kept me in his back pocket I'd say," McInerney said.

"I was pretty comfortable with playing Shute Shield then, and I never thought I'd play professionally let alone for the Wallabies. It's been a tough journey but I'm just so grateful for the opportunities I've had with the Brumbies.

"Absolutely over the moon. It's been a long journey, and to get the call from Dave was just unbelievable mate. I got pretty emotional straight away, I called my girlfriend up, tried to hold it all together.

"I sort of thought I was holding pads for this whole tour, but even then I was just happy to be a part of it.

"I kind of went in with the mindset of nothing to lose. That was at the start. When I got here, I thought 'I can probably push for something a bit more'. That's what I did, I just tried to train hard and pick up on all the detail over the past week just in case I was selected. Here we are."

McInerney's club teammate Tom Wright returns on the wing as one of four changes made to Dave Rennie's starting XV since the Wallabies' final Rugby Championship clash.

Hunter Paisami will fill the void left by Samu Kerevi in the No. 12 jersey, with the latter failing to overcome an ankle injury in time to face the Brave Blossoms.

Matt Philip returns to the second row, blindside flanker Rob Leota earns a recall and Wright is back on the wing after Marika Koroibete withdrew from the tour for family reasons.

Allan Alaalatoa and lock Darcy Swain join McInerney on the bench, who could become the third Brumbies hooker to play Test football this year despite being limited to four Super Rugby matches in 2021 due to an ankle injury and a pair of head knocks.

"Folau has shown the way recently hasn't he? He has dominated the starting jersey through really good set piece and I think his game has grown around the park," Rennie said.

"We've played Lachie Lonergan there and we like him. He's got a little bit to do around scrum, but very good everywhere else. He gets an off-season to try to put on a bit of size, a bit of strength, and make shifts around the scrum.

"From Connal's point of view, he's got a real good set piece, he's got a real presence in tackle and post-tackle, still growing his game around attack. It's wide open, it's a great opportunity for him. It's certainly a great opportunity for a couple of hookers.

"He's had a fair bit of time rehabbing and getting work into him over the last few months. He was with us for most of the French series. He's used that time really well, we think he is in a good spot and the best place for him was here."

WALLABIES' SPRING TOUR

Saturday, October 23: Japan v Wallabies at Oita Stadium, 3.45pm.

Wallabies squad: 1. James Slipper, 2. Folau Fainga'a, 3. Taniela Tupou, 4. Izack Rodda, 5. Matt Philip, 6. Rob Leota, 7. Michael Hooper (c), 8. Rob Valetini, 9. Nic White, 10. Quade Cooper, 11. Andrew Kellaway, 12. Hunter Paisami, 13. Len Ikitau, 14. Tom Wright, 15. Reece Hodge. Replacements: 16. Connal McInerney, 17. Angus Bell, 18. Allan Alaalatoa, 19. Darcy Swain, 20. Pete Samu, 21. Tate McDermott, 22. James O'Connor, 23. Jordan Petaia.

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