Australia, trying to end a three-match losing streak, has dumped backrowers George Smith and John Roe for Saturday’s Tri-Nations rugby Test against South Africa at Perth’s Subiaco Oval.
The pair were replaced in the starting XV by Phil Waugh and Rocky Elsom. Joining Waugh in making their first appearances in the run-on side this season will be hooker Brendan Cannon and five-eighth Elton Flatley.
Later on Wednesday, South Africa coach Jake White named an unchanged line-up for the match. He said it was the first time in over 60 Tests that the Springboks have been able to pick the same 22 in consecutive games.
South Africa leads the Tri-Nations standings with a 2-0 record after opening the annual Southern Hemisphere tournament with back-to-back, 22-16 home wins over Australia and New Zealand.
Elsom, who made his Test debut this season, comes in at the expense of Roe at blindside flanker, while Waugh will get his chance in the number seven openside flanker jersey with Smith dropping back to the reserves.
In the front row, hooker Cannon will start alongside Bill Young and Al Baxter, replacing the injured Jeremy Paul, with fellow hooker Stephen Moore coming onto the bench.
The Australian backline also saw personnel and two positional changes with a number of players unavailable through injury.
Flatley will start at flyhalf and Matt Giteau is fit and will play inside centre, linking up with Morgan Turinui at outside centre.
In the back three, Drew Mitchell will hold onto the number 15 jersey after a strong performance at fullback against the All Blacks — a 30-13 Australian loss — and Mark Gerrard will also keep his place on the wing.
Mat Rogers is in the reserves after returning from a knee injury, while Clyde Rathbone and Chris Whitaker make up the remainder of the back reserves.
”We’ve had to make some changes to the starting team due to injury, and monitor a couple of guys in the first part of the week, but the team has prepared well over the last three days,” said Australian coach Eddie Jones.
The Australian team flew to Perth on Wednesday. South Africa has been training in the West Australian city for nearly a week.
Australia: Drew Mitchell, Mark Gerrard, Morgan Turinui, Matt Giteau, Lote Tuqiri, Elton Flatley, George Gregan (captain), Bill Young, Brendan Cannon, Al Baxter, Daniel Vickerman, Nathan Sharpe, Rocky Elsom, Phil Waugh, David Lyons. Reserves: Stephen Moore, Matt Dunning, Mark Chisholm, George Smith, Chris Whitaker, Clyde
Rathbone, Mat Rogers.
South Africa: Percy Montgomery, Breyton Paulse, Jaque Fourie, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana, Andre Pretorious, Ricky Januarie, Joe van Niekerk, Juan Smith, Schalk Burger, Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, CJ van der Linde, John Smit (captain), Os du
Randt. Reserves: Hanyani Shimange, Gurthro Steenkamp, Albert van den Berg, Jacques Cronje, Fourie du Preez, Wayne Julies, Jaco van der Westhuyzen. – Sapa-AP