Australia has elected to bring another backline player onto the bench for Saturday’s Tri-Nations match against South Africa at Newlands Stadium.
Winger Peter Hynes was named on the bench on Thursday in place of veteran flanker Phil Waugh in an otherwise unchanged lineup from the Wallabies’ opening 22-16 defeat by New Zealand in their opening encounter.
The Springboks won their two opening clashes, defeating the All Blacks 28-19 and 31-19 in successive weekends.
While the Wallabies have not won at Newlands since 1992, the squad features 13 of the players who played in last year’s 27-15 win over South Africa at Durban. That success was Australia’s first on South African soil for eight years, and just the second win achieved by the Wallabies in South Africa in 14 attempts since the Tri-Nations started in 1996.
The Australian tight five will be up against a pack which dominated the New Zealanders in the set pieces, but it is one which has improved over the recent past.
However, the front row was heavily penalized for taking the scrums down in the opening Tri-Nations match, and will be up against a Springbok trio which is looking increasingly settled and competent against all opponents.
Wallabies locks Nathan Sharpe and James Horwill will have their hands full with their Springbok counterparts Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha dominant in lineouts. — Sapa, AP
Australian Team: Adam Ashley-Cooper; Lachie Turner, Stirling Mortlock, Berrick Barnes, Drew Mitchell; Matt Giteau, Luke Burgess; Wycliff Palu, George Smith, Richard Brown, Nathan Sharpe, James Horwill, Al Baxter, Stephen Moore, Benn Robinson. Tatafu Polota-Nau, Ben Alexander, Dean Mumm, David Pocock, Will Genia, Peter Hynes, James O’Connor.