Australia head coach Robbie Deans has recalled Quade Cooper for Saturday's clash with South Africa © Getty Images

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Matches: South Africa 44 - 31 Australia

Tournaments/Tours: Tri Nations

Teams: Australia | South Africa

Grounds: Loftus Versfeld Stadium

Despite mounting speculation over his future, Quade Cooper has been restored to the Australia starting line-up for Saturday's Tri-Nations clash with South Africa at Loftus Versfeld.

The fly-half, who is currently mulling over a cross-code switch to the Parramatta Eels, was forced to sit out the Wallabies' recent defeats by the All Blacks in Melbourne and Christchurch after picking up a two-game ban for a spear challenge on Morne Steyn during last month's victory over the Springboks in Brisbane.

However, Cooper has been recalled for this weekend's meeting with the world champions in Pretoria in a move that sees Matt Giteau revert to inside centre and Anthony Faingaa drop to the bench.

The rest of the starting line-up remains the same as the one which took to the field in Christchurch but there are two changes on the bench, with Scott Higginbotham and Ben McCalman replacing injured flanker Mat Hodgson and lock Rob Simmons respectively. Queensland Reds forward Higginbotham has never played for the Wallabies before, while Simmons' sole taste of Test rugby came as a replacement in last month's win over the Boks in Brisbane.

Australia: K Beale (NSW Waratahs); J O'Connor (Western Force), A Ashley-Cooper (Brumbies), M Giteau (Brumbies), Drew Mitchell (NSW Waratahs); Q Cooper (Queensland Reds), W Genia (Queensland Reds); B Robinson (NSW Waratahs), S Faingaa (Queensland Reds), S Ma'afu (Brumbies); D Mumm (NSW Waratahs), N Sharpe (Western Force); R Elsom (Brumbies, capt), D Pocock (Western Force), R Brown (Western Force)

Replacements: S Moore (Brumbies), J Slipper (Queensland Reds), B McCalman (Western Force), S Higginbotham (Queensland Reds), L Burgess (NSW Waratahs), B Barnes (NSW Waratahs), A Faingaa (Queensland Reds).