The Wallabies have named their team to face the All Blacks in the opening game of The Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup clash with Quade Cooper missing out completely.

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As Cooper is left out of the team Berrick Barnes maintains his place in the starting number 10 jersey outside of halfback and newly appointed Wallabies vice-captain, Will Genia.

After making a successful return to the Test arena in the third game against Wales, and having rehabilitated a rib cartilage injury in the time since, Kurtley Beale retains his position at fullback. He will be supported by the versatile Adam Ashley-Cooper and Digby Ioane in the back three.

The experienced NSW winger Drew Mitchell makes a return from injury to play in his first Test since the pool phase of last year’s Rugby World Cup, taking up the bench spot vacated by Fainga’a.

Up front, the New Zealand-schooled Sitaleki Timani gets a first chance to test himself against the All Blacks in the pack. The former Auckland Grammar student is one of two Kiwi-educated Wallaby forwards, alongside the former Wesley College, New Zealand Schools and Under-21 rep Sekope Kepu.

Kepu, who has specialised at tighthead prop this year, is one of just two survivors amongst the run on group from Australia’s starting forward pack when the two teams last met, in October’s Rugby World Cup semi-final last year. He played loosehead on that occasion.

Skipper David Pocock is the other, while hooker Stephen Moore and evergreen loose forward Radike Samo are on the bench this time, having played starting roles in Auckland.

A second Test starting role for Dave Dennis, a move from the side to the back of the scrum for Scott Higginbotham and a return to a starting midfield position for Anthony Fainga’a, represent the only changes to the Wallabies starting side for this weekend’s Bledisloe Cup opener in Sydney, from the line-up last presented.

Higginbotham, who started at blindside flanker during Australia’s most recent outing, when it shaded Wales 20-19 in the third and final Test of the Wales Tour at Allianz Stadium in June, takes over from the injured Wycliff Palu at No 8.

This has opened the way for Dennis, the NSW Waratahs Player of the Year, to make his fifth Test appearance

Australia

15 Kurtley Beale, 14 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 13 Rob Horne, 12 Anthony Faingaa, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Berrick Barnes, 9 Will Genia, 8 Scott Higginbotham, 7 David Pocock (Captain), 6 Dave Dennis, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 Sitaleki Timani, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Tatafu Polota Nau, 1 Benn Robinson

Replacements: 16 Stephen Moore, 17 James Slipper, 18 Rob Simmons, 19 Radike Samo, 20 Michael Hooper, 21 Nick Phipps, 22 Drew Mitchell.