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London - Australia coach Robbie Deans sprang a surprise by naming on Thursday a new midfield combination in his team to play England in Saturday's Cook Cup clash at Twickenham.
The Kiwi has decided to bring Digby Ioane in off the wing to play at outside centre with Quade Cooper inside him after he impressed during the Wallabies' 36-5 win over English Premiership side Gloucester on Tuesday.
Queensland duo Ioane and Cooper have never been alongside one another in an international.
In all, Australia have made three changes from the team that lost 32-19 to New Zealand in last Saturday's Bledisloe Cup match in Tokyo with star flanker George Smith, often a thorn in England's side, returning in place of back-row David Pocock, now on the bench.
Drew Mitchell replaces Ioane on the wing while Adam Ashley-Cooper moves out of the centres to full-back in place of James O'Connor.
Teenager O'Connor is among the replacements as is Ryan Cross, despite impressing at outside centre against Gloucester.
Saturday's match is the first leg of a grand slam tour where Australia will try to match the 1984 Wallabies by completing a clean sweep of wins on the one trip over the four 'Home Unions' - England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Australia have lost six of their last seven Tests, albeit against the world's top-ranked teams in South Africa and New Zealand.
But a defeat against an injury-hit England, even one including star fly-half Jonny Wilkinson, the hero of the Red Rose's 2003 World Cup final win over Australia, would be far harder to explain away.
Australia won last November's corresponding Test at Twickenham 28-14, with Matt Giteau - the Wallabies' No 10 this weekend as well - kicking 20 points off the back of an impressive display by the visitors' forwards.
Australia team to play England (15-1):
Adam Ashley-Cooper; Peter Hynes, Digby Ioane, Quade Cooper, Drew Mitchell; Matt Giteau, Will Genia; Wycliff Palu, George Smith, Rocky Elsom (captain); Mark Chisholm, James Horwill; Ben Alexander, Stephen Moore, Benn Robinson. Replacements: Tatafu Polota-Nau, Matt Dunning, Dean Mumm, David Pocock, Luke Burgess, Ryan Cross, James O'Connor
The Kiwi has decided to bring Digby Ioane in off the wing to play at outside centre with Quade Cooper inside him after he impressed during the Wallabies' 36-5 win over English Premiership side Gloucester on Tuesday.
Queensland duo Ioane and Cooper have never been alongside one another in an international.
In all, Australia have made three changes from the team that lost 32-19 to New Zealand in last Saturday's Bledisloe Cup match in Tokyo with star flanker George Smith, often a thorn in England's side, returning in place of back-row David Pocock, now on the bench.
Drew Mitchell replaces Ioane on the wing while Adam Ashley-Cooper moves out of the centres to full-back in place of James O'Connor.
Teenager O'Connor is among the replacements as is Ryan Cross, despite impressing at outside centre against Gloucester.
Saturday's match is the first leg of a grand slam tour where Australia will try to match the 1984 Wallabies by completing a clean sweep of wins on the one trip over the four 'Home Unions' - England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Australia have lost six of their last seven Tests, albeit against the world's top-ranked teams in South Africa and New Zealand.
But a defeat against an injury-hit England, even one including star fly-half Jonny Wilkinson, the hero of the Red Rose's 2003 World Cup final win over Australia, would be far harder to explain away.
Australia won last November's corresponding Test at Twickenham 28-14, with Matt Giteau - the Wallabies' No 10 this weekend as well - kicking 20 points off the back of an impressive display by the visitors' forwards.
Australia team to play England (15-1):
Adam Ashley-Cooper; Peter Hynes, Digby Ioane, Quade Cooper, Drew Mitchell; Matt Giteau, Will Genia; Wycliff Palu, George Smith, Rocky Elsom (captain); Mark Chisholm, James Horwill; Ben Alexander, Stephen Moore, Benn Robinson. Replacements: Tatafu Polota-Nau, Matt Dunning, Dean Mumm, David Pocock, Luke Burgess, Ryan Cross, James O'Connor
