Fly-half: Kurtley Beale
Australia head coach Robbie Deans has named Kurtley Beale at fly-half for their Rugby Championship clash with South Africa at Loftus on Saturday.
Beale replaces Quade Cooper in the number 10 jersey for the Pretoria meeting, with the Reds playmaker currently ruled out with a knee injury.
Berrick Barnes will start at full-back and assume the kicking duties, with Nathan Sharpe keeping the captaincy of a side hit hard by absentees.
Sharpe will be playing in his 110th Test at Loftus Versfeld, equaling former flanker George Smith's impressive record for a Wallaby forward.
"He has worked hard on the training track and is excited about the opportunity ahead," Deans said of new fly-half Beale ahead of the game.
Australia: 15 Berrick Barnes, 14 Dominic Shipperley, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Pat McCabe, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Kurtley Beale, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Radike Samo, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Dave Dennis, 5 Nathan Sharpe (captain), 4 Kane Douglas, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Tatafu Polota Nau, 1 Benn Robinson.
Replacements: 16 Saia Fainga'a, 17 James Slipper, 18 Rob Simmons, 19 Scott Higginbotham, 20 Liam Gill, 21 Brett Sheehan, 22 Anthony Fainga'a.
Date: Saturday, September 29
Venue: Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria
Kick-off: 17.00 (15.00 GMT)
Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Romain Poite (France), Greg Garner (England)
TMO: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)
Comments
ArmchairGeneral says...
Don't think Deans has lost the plot. He's lost the players. If all the injured players were all fit how many of this 15 would stay in the team in position?
Posted 13:13 27th September 2012
wooden_spoon says...
don't expect any running rugby from either side - Alain Rolland is reffing and is a penalty-awarding game spoiler.
Posted 10:43 27th September 2012
melkdave says...
I agree with you @PREEST it should be an exciting game,but i stil have my doughts about K.Beales form .This season so far his had a nightmare,and its one thing to look good in pravtice annother to do it in a match situation..This is the strongest wallaby side available though ,so hoping for the best game wise.
Posted 09:48 27th September 2012
chisel68 says...
This is probably the best scenario for Beale to be tried at 10, against another debutant at 10 in Goosen. Beale is def an attacking 10 and while not as much flair as Quade, I think overall a better option (when in form) than QC. KB can tackle and isn't afraid to take on the line AND get tackled, something that Cooper is very shy of doing and therefore is easily read. But his form is the concern. If he can get back to the form he was in last year then our 10 issue has been solved (with JOC at 12 and back-up 10).
Posted 09:28 27th September 2012
kappelange says...
Far from their best lineup, they might be in for a thrashing on Saterday.
Too many average and out of position players in their team. They should try to get Giteau back, i never understood how the Aussies could just let him go without a fight.
Now they have a 10 at 15 and vice-a-versa, i'm a big fan of Deans but the guy has completely lost the plot ATM.
Posted 09:12 27th September 2012
PREEST says...
I really hope Beale has a cracker against the Boks. He is a brilliant attacking player and ball runner, and I think he can create a lot from fly half. With Goosen at 10 for the Boks and Beale at 10 for the Wallabies, I think we can expect an exciting game of running rugby, and line breaks from both sides.
Posted 08:48 27th September 2012