Greg Holmes on the verge of becoming oldest Wallabies player since World War II

Now Holmes is on the verge of becoming the oldest Wallaby since World War II after being drafted into Dave Rennie's squad for their final Rugby Championship Test.

Holmes has been named on the Wallabies' bench for Saturday's clash with Argentina on the Gold Coast, making his return to the Test arena for the first time since 2016.

The Western Force veteran's comeback is complemented by the return of Sean McMahon on the bench, with the back-rower poised to end a four-year Test exile in Australia's final home game of the year.

"It was pretty funny. I'd been doing a little bit of coaching over at the Force. I was at a Bledisloe lunch and some of us Force guys were sitting at a table with the Wallabies," Holmes said.

MORE RUGBY UNION

"I asked Dave if it was possible if I could come in and watch some of the units sessions and take a few notes around the coaching. Then I had a missed call from him a couple of days later and I thought it was about the coaching.

"It turns out they had a few injuries and a few other things going on at tighthead, so he asked if I could come in and help out for a month, obviously I jumped at the chance.

"It's pretty amazing, it almost feels like it's my first cap again. In 2016 when I left Australia, I thought that was it for playing for my country. By a chance meeting with Dave and things panning out with Allan [Alaalatoa] having a kid and a couple of injuries, all of a sudden they need someone to fill in.

"Hopefully Taniela [Tupou] doesn't get through the 80 minutes, I know he can, I'm sitting behind the world's best tighthead, but hopefully there's a few minutes there for me on the weekend.

"When I came back into camp I knew, especially with Allan having his baby and having to drop out, and Pone [Fa'amausili] trying to get over his hamstring injury, I knew there weren't a lot of tightheads in the squad.

"I hadn't been doing a lot of training, I'd been ticking over with the Force but because we're leading into the start of pre-season, we hadn't been doing a hell of a lot of contact and a hell of a lot of scrummaging. I focused a lot on my scrummaging, that's what gets you picked as a tighthead."

Tom Robertson makes way for Holmes, while Pete Samu has forced his way into the starting line-up at blindside flanker, replacing Rob Leota in the No. 6 jersey and opening a spot for McMahon.

Darcy Swain rotates into the starting XV with Matt Philip reverting to the bench. Jordan Petaia will fill the void left by Marika Koroibete on the wing, with Tom Wright earning a recall on the bench alongside hooker Lachlan Lonergan and scrumhalf Jake Gordon.

Holmes has all but ruled himself out of the Spring Tour due to his wife being due to give birth, but the Wallabies will be boosted in Europe by McMahon, Quade Cooper and Samu Kerevi.

Rennie said Suntory Sungoliath pair Kerevi and McMahon, as well as Kintetsu Liners star Cooper, all had their clubs' blessing.

"Suntory have been fantastic ... they're very keen for them to play a bit of international footy, and it works out nicely for them based on their schedule," Rennie said.

As many as 44 players have been involved in Australia's Test squad this year but Rennie plans on taking a 35 or 36-man squad to Europe.

THE RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP

Saturday: Australia v Argentina at 5.05pm; South Africa v New Zealand at 8.05pm. Both games at Robina Stadium.

Wallabies squad: 1. James Slipper, 2. Folau Fainga'a, 3. Taniela Tupou, 4. Izack Rodda, 5. Darcy Swain, 6. Pete Samu, 7. Michael Hooper (c), 8. Rob Valetini, 9. Nic White, 10. Quade Cooper, 11. Andrew Kellaway, 12. Samu Kerevi, 13. Len Ikitau, 14. Jordan Petaia, 15. Reece Hodge. Replacements: 16. Lachlan Lonergan, 17. Angus Bell, 18. Greg Holmes, 19. Matt Philip, 20. Sean McMahon, 21. Jake Gordon, 22. James O'Connor, 23. Tom Wright.

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