The Wallabies, recovering from a record drubbing, made five team changes on Tuesday for their Tri-Nations rugby Test series decider against holders New Zealand in Brisbane on Saturday.
Center Ryan Cross, flanker George Smith, lock Nathan Sharpe, tighthead prop Al Baxter and hooker Stephen Moore return to the starting team for the Test — the season’s third Bledisloe Cup match.
Cross, Smith, Baxter and Moore were on the reserves bench during last month’s record 53-8 loss to South Africa in Johannesburg, while Sharpe was not a member of the last squad.
Coach Robbie Deans omitted inside-center Timana Tahu, flanker Phil Waugh, utility forward Hugh McMeniman, prop Matt Dunning and hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau.
Former rugby league international Tahu and Polota-Nau have missed selection altogether. Waugh, McMeniman and Dunning were named among the replacements, which features a five-two forwards-backs split.
“Last week’s gone and we’ve got a fantastic opportunity this weekend. We will be better out of necessity and I’m very excited about this week, and very excited about this group,” Deans said. “They weren’t proud of their last outing so the priority for us is to be proud of what we leave behind this Saturday.”
The All Blacks named an unchanged team for Saturday’s clash.
New Zealand will field the same starting XV against Australia as in their previous two tournament outings.
“It’s a very competitive Tri-Nations series this year,” All Blacks coach Graham Henry said. “Every match has been more important than the one before it and this Test decides the championship.”
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