Rugby Championship
Pat McCabe set to run on left wing against All Blacks
ESPN Staff
August 8, 2014
Pat McCabe performed strongly for the Brumbies this season © Getty Images
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Pat McCabe is the man most likely to claim the vacant wing berth in the Wallabies side to face New Zealand in the Bledisloe Cup opener at ANZ Stadium in Sydney on August 16, with Ewen McKenzie poised to resist changes to the side that swept France.

McCabe was seen running in the wing spot vacated by Nick Cummins when the squad trained as a whole for the first time on Thursday afternoon, after 11 Super Rugby title-winning New South Wales Waratahs players joined the camp in Bathurst for the Bush2Bledisloe campaign. The opposed session gave a strong indication of the side McKenzie intends to name on Tuesday, with the coach poised to make just two forced starting changes to the side that beat France 50-23 in Brisbane despite several Waratahs - including Kurtley Beale and Nick Phipps - staking strong claims for selection during their Super Rugby title win.

Rob Simmons eyes All Blacks defensive line
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McCabe hasn't started a Test since November 2012, and he broke his neck for a second time when he played off the bench against the British & Irish Lions in June last year, but Cummins' move to Japan for family reasons has freed the No.11 jumper. Western Force front-rower Nathan Charles, meanwhile, trained as expected in the hooker role after the knee injuries to rakes Stephen Moore and Tatafu Polota-Nau.

Sam Carter also looks as though he'll regain his spot in the second-row ahead of Will Skelton and former captain James Horwill after missing the final two matches against France with a sprained ankle.

Likely Wallabies starting XV: Israel Folau; Adam Ashley-Cooper, Tevita Kuridrani, Matt Toomua, Pat McCabe; Bernard Foley, Nic White; Wycliff Palu, Michael Hooper (captain), Scott Fardy; Rob Simmons, Sam Carter; Sekope Kepu, Nathan Charles, James Slipper.

© AAP

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