Australia have brought back their heavyweights to play South Africa after the embarrassment of last Sunday’s loss to Samoa.
Australia will field nine of the players who started in last year’s history-making win over South Africa at Bloemfontein after the Wallabies’ combination for Saturday night’s opening Test in the Tri Nations was named today.
The Wallabies beat the Springboks 41-39 at Bloemfontein last year to secure Australia’s first win on the Highveldt in the Republic for 47 years.
The win, achieved thanks to a penalty goal from beyond halfway and after the final siren, also secured the Mandela Challenge Plate for Australia. The trophy, which has been contested by the two countries since 2000, will go on the line again when the two teams meet at ANZ Stadium in Sydney.
NSW Waratahs fullback Kurtley Beale, who held his nerve to kick the crucial goal, is one of seven changes to the run-on line-up from last Sunday’s Test against Samoa.
Two further newcomers have been included on the bench as Qantas Wallabies coach Robbie Deans strengthens the side.
Outside of the return of Beale, other changes see James O’Connor take to the wing in place of Rod Davies, flyhalf Quade Cooper and halfback Will Genia replace Matt Giteau and Nick Phipps respectively, while additions in the forward pack see flanker David Pocock and locks James Horwill and Rob Simmons step in for Matt Hodgson, Nathan Sharpe and Sitaleki Timani.
The return of Pocock, who missed last Sunday’s match to allow a niggly foot injury further time to rehabilitate, should add extra presence to the Australian breakdown, with last year’s John Eales Medal winner having been a major obstacle for South Africa in the past. Horwill returns to the Australian line-up for the first time since the 33-12 win over Wales at Cardiff which signed off the 2009 Test season, with the Queensland Reds skipper having missed all of last year’s Test campaign after blowing knee ligaments during that year’s Super Rugby competition. He had played all 14 Tests of the 2009 season.
Horwill will team up in the second row for the first time in the gold jersey with his provincial team-mate, Rob Simmons, after the latter established himself with the Wallabies last year. Simmons featured four times off the bench during last year’s Tri Nations before significantly starting in Australia’s final two Tests of the Spring Tour, which included the record-breaking 59-16 drubbing of the then Six Nations champions, France, in Paris.
The two second-rowers were key figures for the Reds during their charge to this year’s Super Rugby title. After being named last week but forced to withdraw on the eve of the match due to a minor hamstring strain, James O’Connor has recovered and will return to the wing and resume the responsibility for goalkicking in the Australian side.
Australia:
15 Kurtley Beale, 14 James O’Connor, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Pat McCabe, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 David Pocock, 6 Rocky Elsom (C), 5 James Horwill, 4 Rob Simmons, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Sekope Kepu.
Replacements:
16 Saia Fainga’a, 17 Pekahou Cowan, 18 Nathan Sharpe, 19 Matt Hodgson, 20 Scott Higginbotham, 21 Nick Phipps, 22 Anthony Fainga’a.