Rugby Championship
Beale returns to face Boks
2012-09-04 08:46
Perth - Kurtley Beale has been recalled to
the Wallabies starting line-up to face South Africa on Saturday, a game
that will see Stephen Moore become the most capped hooker in Australian
Test history.
Reeling from two defeats in as many weekends to New
Zealand, under-fire Australian coach Robbie Deans also handed attacking
talent Dominic Shipperley a debut on the wing.
The 21-year-old
boasts exceptional pace and Deans, who is under pressure to turn around
their fortunes or face the sack, will hope he can inject some urgency
into a team humiliated 22-0 by the All Blacks at Eden Park.
With
the versatile Adam Ashley-Cooper reverting to centre for the 30th time
in his now 69-Test career, Beale is back in the starting 15 after being
benched for the last match.
The mercurial Quade Cooper was also included in the side, with the flyhalf recovering from a small leg-bone fracture.
But,
as expected, winger Drew Mitchell was ruled out with a ruptured ankle
tendon. Among others missing injured are David Pocock, James Horwill,
James O'Connor, Sekope Kepu, Wycliff Palu, Pat McCabe and Ben McCalman.
Elsewhere,
No 8 Radike Samo returns to the Test starting pack for the first time
this year, with Scott Higginbotham relocating to the bench.
Moore
is set to become the most capped hooker in Australian Test history when
he takes the field in Perth, moving past Jeremy Paul's tally of 72
appearances.
The 29-year-old, who earlier in the year became just
the 24th Australian to play 100 Tests, made his debut against Samoa at
Sydney in 2005.
Teams:Australia: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 Dominic Shipperley, 13
Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Berrick Barnes, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9
Will Genia (captain), 8 Radike Samo, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Dave Dennis, 5
Nathan Sharpe, 4 Sitaleki Timani, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1
Benn Robinson
Substitutes: 16 Tatafu Polota Nau, 17 James Slipper,
18 Scott Higginbotham, 19 Liam Gill, 20 Nick Phipps, 21 Mike Harris, 22
Anthony Fainga'a
South Africa: TBA