South Africa v Australia, Tri-Nations, August 8
Deans names unchanged Wallabies
Scrum.com
August 6, 2009
Matt Giteau passes during an Australian Wallabies training session at Leichardt Oval in Sydney, Australia on July 14, 2009
Matt Giteau will again pull the strings for the Wallabies © Getty Images
Enlarge

Australia coach Robbie Deans has named an unchanged side for their vital Tri-Nations Test against South Africa at Newlands on Saturday.

Despite being outmuscled in a 22-16 loss to the All Blacks in their opening fixture, Deans has kept faith with his starting XV as they look to face up to the ferocious and in-form Springboks. The only change to the matchday 22 comes on the bench, where flanker Phil Waugh is replaced by wing Peter Hynes.

Deans has resisted the temptation to replace scrum-half Luke Burgess with the promising Will Genia, and Burgess will be looking to impress against the world's form No.9 in Fourie du Preez. Matt Giteau and Berrick Barnes provide the playmaking options at fly-half and inside-centre, with skipper Stirling Mortlock wearing No.13.

Veteran flanker George Smith will go up against the Springboks' latest find in Heinrich Brussow, joining Wycliff Palu and Richard Brown in the back-row.

The Wallabies have not won at Newlands since 1992, and will be relying on the finishing power of Lachie Turner and Drew Mitchell out wide. They will also be aware that discipline could play a huge part after Morne Steyn's record-breaking 31-point haul against the All Blacks last weekend.

The Wallabies have trained this week without Deans as he was in New Zealand to attend the funeral of his father, but reports suggest that their preparations were not unduly affected.

"This is close to the most complete Springbok outfit that I've seen. Most of the guys [in the Wallabies] are saying that and so am I," he told Rugby Heaven. "It is just the confidence that they go about their business which strikes you. They are a team on their game.

"We've had an extended preparation for this game and sometimes it is a bad thing when you have the bye. But for us it has been a chance to do a lot of good work in Australia and in Cape Town, and while we are coming off the back of a Test where we weren't happy with how we went, I have been really impressed with the resolve amongst the crew. I'm confident that we will go out there with a positive intent."

Australia: A Ashley-Cooper (Brumbies); L Turner (Waratahs), S Mortlock (Brumbies), B Barnes (Reds), D Mitchell (Western Force); M Giteau (Brumbies), L Burgess (Waratahs); B Robinson (Waratahs), S Moore (Brumbies), A Baxter (Waratahs), J Horwill (Reds), N Sharpe (Western Force), R Brown (Western Force), G Smith (Brumbies), W Palu (Waratahs).

Replacements: T Polota-Nau (Waratahs), B Alexander (Brumbies), D Mumm (Waratahs), D Pocock (Waratahs), W Genia (Western Force), P Hynes (Reds), J O'Connor (Western Force).

© Scrum.com

Live Sports

Communication error please reload the page.