Australia and Wales play each other in the 3rd test match of the current series in at the Allianz Stadium in Sydney on Saturday, 23rd June. Kick off is at 07.00 SA time.
There are few changes to the teams following the 2nd test last week that Wales agonizingly lost following a last minute Australian penalty. Wales outscored the Wallabies by two tries to one in that game.
Wales head coach Rob Howley has retained his team that did duty in the last test match against Australia.
Meanwhile, Robbie Deans has brought Kurtley Beale back into the team at fullback. Adam Ashley-Cooper will start on the wing, in a positional shift to accommodate the return of Beale.
Ashley-Cooper’s move to the wing means Cooper Vuna is omitted from the match day 22. Vuna would have been very lucky to be playing had he been picked as he was cleared by a disciplinary hearing after receiving a yellow card for a dangerous tackle in last week’s test.
The only change to the starting pack is at lock where Sitaleki Timani starts in place of Rob Simmons who is on the bench.
The last minute penalty kick hero from last week, Mike Harris, misses out on a spot in the 22. This is because Deans has decided to pick five forwards as replacements.
Teams as follows:
Australia: 15 Kurtley Beale; 14 Adam Ashley-Cooper; 13 Rob Horne;12 Pat McCabe; 11, Digby Ioane; 10 Berrick Barnes; 9 Will Genia; 8 Wycliff Palu; 7 David Pocock (Capt); 6 Scott Higginbotham; 5 Nathan Sharpe; 4 Sitaleki Timani; 3 Sekope Kepu; 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau;1 Benn Robinson
Replacements: 16 Stephen Moore; 17 Ben Alexander; 18 Rob Simmons; 19 Dave Dennis; 20 Michael Hooper; 21 Nic White; 22 Anthony Fainga’a
Wales: 15 Leigh Halfpenny; 14 Alex Cuthbert; 13 Jonathan Davies; 12 Ashley Beck; 11 George North; 10 Rhys Priestland; 9 Mike Phillips; 8 Ryan Jones; 7 Sam Warburton (Capt); 6 Dan Lydiate; 5 Alun Wyn Jones; 4 Bradley Davies; 3 Adam Jones; 2 Matthew Rees; 1 Gethin Jenkins
Replacements: 16 Ken Owens; 17 Paul James; 18 Luke Charteris; 19 Justin Tipuric; 20 Rhys Webb; 21 James Hook; 22 Scott Williams
Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)