Schmidt opens up on 'really frustrating' tour

Queensland Reds youngster Kalani Thomas is set to make his Wallabies debut on Sunday (AEDT) as "frustrated" coach Joe Schmidt continues to ring the changes for the final Test of the season against France.

Thomas, 23, has been named as the backup halfback behind Jake Gordon with Ryan Lonergan dropping out of the matchday squad.

Gordon will partner namesake Carter Gordon in the halves after the code-hopper recovered from a quadriceps injury that kept him out of the ugly 46-19 loss to Ireland in Dublin.

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James O'Connor, who started against Ireland, has been released from the squad and Tane Edmed will again provide playmaking cover from the bench.

The tourists are hoping to avoid becoming the first Wallabies team to lose four Test matches in a row in Europe since 1958.

Australia have also lost to England and Italy.

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"Kalani has trained for five weeks with us. He's trained incredibly well, he's got a sharpness about him, and he deserves an opportunity to demonstrate that," Schmidt said.

"It's a tough place to debut, but if we don't do it now, he's just spent these five weeks with us, he has to reinvigorate himself again, and we felt this window was a good opportunity for him."

Ex-Wallabies lock Justin Harrison has been critical of Schmidt's chopping and changing at the selection table.

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Centre Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii was asked whether the revolving door in the No.10 jersey was disruptive.

"No, we have a great group. Boys come in and out that just fit in, and once they go, they go," Suaalii responded.

"We have a tight group, we all lean on each other, but I don't really see this as a negative thing for the group."

Schmidt made two changes to the front row with Taniela Tupou returning at tighthead prop in place of Allan Alaalatoa and Billy Pollard taking over from Matt Faessler at hooker.

Nick Frost is back in the second row to partner Jeremy Williams, which allows Tom Hooper to return to blindside flanker in place of Rob Valetini.

Dylan Pietsch comes in on the left wing and Harry Potter switches to the right.

"I've found it really frustrating, to be honest," Schmidt said when asked to assess the tour as a whole.

"Just because I do see that improvement in some of the players for sure. When improvement isn't rewarded, there's frustration.

"When you over-chase something, you always make yourself a little bit more vulnerable, and that's part of the learning. It's frustrating to go through a learning period and not have the apparent reward that a result gives you.

"I can tell you, I know how hard the players are working and what it means to them, and they are frustrated that they feel like they've let supporters down.

"This week, we didn't train on Monday at all. We try to cut our cloth to how people are feeling, and you cannot flog a dead horse.

"And I've never, ever been in a Test window for so long. I think the longest period that I've had a break for was eight days since we started. I think, as much as anything, it's mental, emotional fatigue as much as it is physical. So that in itself has been challenging.

"That doesn't mean that you completely change your approach, but it does mean you definitely adjust it. We've tried to adjust as the season has progressed, and I'm not saying we get the adjustments right. We just try to get them right with as much foresight as we can."

Meanwhile, France centre Gael Fickou and locks Emmanuel Meafou and Thibaud Flament are back in the starting team as coach Fabien Galthie made three changes to the side that beat Fiji last week.

Fickou, who started in the opening defeat by South Africa earlier this month, returns at inside centre to replace the injured Pierre-Louis Barassi.

Meafou and Flament, both out against Fiji, will partner in the second row in place of Romain Taofifenua and Charles Ollivon.

The latter, man of the match against Fiji, will start as flanker alongside Gregory Alldritt and Anthony Jelonch, with Oscar Jegou relegated to the bench.

"Meafou and Flament are available again, so we won't deprive ourselves of having them start," Galthie told a press conference.

"Charles (Ollivon), with his performance in Bordeaux (against Fiji), has earned his place against Australia."

Alldritt will remain captain for the second match in a row after Fickou was skipper against South Africa.

Centre Kalvin Gourgues should earn his first cap off the bench as France look for a convincing win to conclude their Autumn International Series on a positive note.

"There is a chance that we will be more consistent in this third match. Our ambition is clear: to perform in this third match," Galthie said.

- with Reuters

FRANCE (15-1): Thomas Ramos, Damian Penaud, Nicolas Depoortere, Gael Fickou, Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Romain Ntamack, Maxime Lucu, Gregory Alldritt (c), Charles Ollivon, Anthony Jelonch, Emmanuel Meafou, Thibaud Flament, Regis Montagne, Julien Marchand, Jean-Baptiste Gros

Reserves: Maxime Lamothe, Rodrigue Neti, Thomas Laclayat, Romain Taofifenua, Hugo Auradou, Oscar Jegou, Baptiste Jauneau, Kalvin Gourgues

AUSTRALIA (15-1): Max Jorgensen, Harry Potter, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Len Ikitau, Dylan Pietsch, Carter Gordon, Jake Gordon, Harry Wilson (c), Fraser McReight, Tom Hooper, Nick Frost, Jeremy Williams, Taniela Tupou, Billy Pollard, Angus Bell

Reserves: Matt Faessler, Aidan Ross, Allan Alaalatoa, Rob Valetini, Carlo Tizzano, Kalani Thomas, Tane Edmed, Filipo Daugunu

Referee: Luke Pearce (England)