Australia coach Robbie Deans has switched Matt Giteau to flyhalf and recalled utility Berrick Barnes as cover for the suspended Quade Cooper in the Wallabies team to play New Zealand in their Tri-Nations clash in Melbourne on Saturday.
Cooper is appealing a two-week suspension after being cited for lifting Morne Steyn in a tackle during the Wallabies’ 30-13 win over South Africa in Brisbane last week. The hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.
“We’ve prepared on the basis that Quade won’t be available to us, so we won’t contemplate anything other than that until such time it becomes a reality and then we’ll deal with it,” New Zealander Deans told reporters.
Giteau, who had been dislodged from his starting flyhalf position after Cooper’s excellent season in the Super 14, will play inside Barnes, named at centre.
Barnes was named vice-captain on the Wallabies’ Northern Hemisphere tour last year, but has found himself warming the bench this season to allow Cooper to replicate his dangerous midfield partnership with Queensland Reds teammate Will Genia.
The Barnes-Giteau pairing is their first since the Wallabies were trounced by the All Blacks in Wellington in last year’s tournament.
“It’s a combination that we were looking at at the end of last year, prior to the end-of-year tour, but Barnesy picked up an injury and we didn’t really get the opportunity,” Deans added.
“Obviously Quade did at that point and he’s made the most of it, but these two blokes have been reunited and we expect them to thrive.”
The only other change is hooker Stephen Moore, who has been recalled to the starting 15 after recovering from a broken jaw. Moore, named a reserve against the Springboks last week, comes in for Saia Faingaa, who drops to the bench.
“[Moore] is experienced. I guess we’re looking for that experience at the front end of the game and we’re a little bit more confident about his conditioning now,” said Deans.
Although coming off a convincing win over a travel-weary Springboks side at Lang Park, the Wallabies face a far stiffer challenge against the All Blacks, who they have not beaten in their last seven tests.
“They’ve been superior [to] us in the final 40 [minutes] and particularly the last 20,” Deans said of the All Blacks, who have made a habit of over-running the Wallabies in second halves.
“They’ve been able to impose their will on us … They like to test you mentally and physically as well and it’s a good work-out. It’s the ultimate test.” – Reuters
Team: 15-Adam Ashley Cooper, 14-James O’Connor, 13-Rob Horne, 12-Berrick Barnes, 11-Drew Mitchell, 10-Matt Giteau, 9-Will Genia; 8-Richard Brown, 7-David Pocock, 6-Rocky Elsom (captain), 5-Nathan Sharpe, 4-Dean Mumm, 3-Salesi Ma’afu, 2-Stephen Moore, 1-Benn Robinson.
Replacements: 16-Saia Faingaa, 17-James Slipper, 18-Rob Simmons, 19-Matt Hodgson, 20-Luke Burgess, 21-Anthony Faingaa, 22-Kurtley Beale.