After a stellar game one performance, the Brumbies No.10 was vital in the Wallabies' late fightback in Brisbane, with the team ultimately falling short after its slow start.

He has been rewarded with selection yet again, scheduled to line up at the SCG on Saturday night.

O'Connor on the other hand has found himself out of the match-day 23, Wallabies head coach Dave Rennie believing he was not in the best squad for this weekend's game.

Fourth-choice fullback Reece Hodge will instead be used as cover for Lolesio, likely to switch out of his starting fullback role into flyhalf if required.

Rennie has been pleased with the composure Lolesio has shown throughout the series, including in Australia's second Test loss.

"He has been good, showing the sort of maturity that you need from a young 10. He has organised things really well," he said.

"We got off to a slow start last week and I think we fought our way back into it and had momentum and he was a big part of that. Again, that will be very important this weekend."

The decision to start Lolesio is a clear sign the Brumby is well in contention for the No.10 jersey for the 2023 World Cup. He will be up against veteran Quade Cooper, who will return soon from a calf injury he sustained before the first Test in Perth, in that race.

Another Brumbies star who has been rewarded with selection following good form is Nick Frost, the young lock set for his starting debut on Saturday.

It comes just one week after he collected his first cap coming off the bench in Brisbane, moving into the starting squad following a knee injury to fellow Brumby Cadeyrn Neville.

"By his own admission he realises that a few locks have fallen over and he gets to start pretty early in his career. In saying that we are very comfortable with Nick starting," he said.

"He is a big man, a hell of an athlete, a very good lineout forward, who has made big shifts around his physicality, so we are very excited for him."

Rennie was pleased to be able to reward the lock, who despite interest from overseas clubs opted to re-sign with Rugby Australia and the Brumbies until 2025.

"He obviously made a decision not to go to Japan and he has been rewarded very quickly," he said.

"So we are excited to see him start a test."

Centre Len Ikitau will also return after suffering a calf injury in the first Test of the series, slotting onto the bench in the No.22 jersey.

Rennie opted to not start the Brumby, deciding to not risk disrupting the side if the centre was unable to overcome his injury.

"We had to get clarity around whether he was going to be available because it wasn't clear on Monday," he said.

"We decided to pick a team where they could train and we were not sweating on a result from the medics."

THIRD TEST

Australia v England, SCG, Saturday night, 7.55pm:

AUSTRALIA: Reece Hodge, Tom Wright, Hunter Paisami, Samu Kerevi, Marika Koroibete, Noah Lolesio, Nic White, Rob Valetini, Michael Hooper, Harry Wilson, Nick Frost, Matt Philip, Taniela Tupou, David Porecki, James Slipper. Reserves: Folau Fainga'a, Angus Bell, Allan Alaalatoa, Rob Leota, Pete Samu, Tate McDermott, Len Ikitau, Suliasi Vunivalu.

ENGLAND: Freddie Steward, Jack Nowell, Guy Porter, Owen Farrell, Tommy Freeman, Marcus Smith, Danny Care, Billy Vunipola, Lewis Ludlam, Courtney Lawes (c), Jonny Hill, Ollie Chessum, Will Stuart, Jamie George, Ellis Genge. Reserves: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Mako Vunipola, Joe Heyes, Nick Isiekwe, Jack Willis, Jack van Poortvliet, Will Joseph, Henry Arundell.

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