Quade Cooper: Starts at centre
Quade Cooper has been tasked with replacing the injured Berrick Barnes in Australia's team to take on England at Twickenham on Saturday.
George Smith and Digby Ioane also return, with Ioane forming the other half of an entirely new midfield partnership from that which lost to New Zealand last week.
Smith, the game's fifth-most capped player, has swapped roles with the Western Force 21-year-old David Pocock from last week. He will play in his 107th Test.
Ioane plays his sixth Test match, but his first at centre, after making a successful return from injury on the wing last weekend against the All Blacks.
The powerful 24-year-old converted to the midfield for the Queensland Reds this year, making ten appearances at centre before his efforts were curtailed by a shoulder injury that required surgery to correct.
He teams up with Reds colleague Cooper, who has won selection for his eighth Test but just his second start - both of which have come at inside centre - after starring with 16 points from the fly-half position during Tuesday night's 36-5 win over Gloucester.
Cooper also played inside centre during the Queensland Reds' final match of this year's Super 14, scoring a try against the Hurricanes at Suncorp Stadium.
The re-positioning of Ioane in the number thirteen jersey has opened the way for Drew Mitchell, who scored two tries on Tuesday night at Kingsholm, to return on the wing after he was unused from the bench in Tokyo.
Cooper's elevation from last week's Test reserves allows Adam Ashley Cooper to return to full-back - the position he was originally selected for last week, before the injury to team vice captain Berrick Barnes prompted a late backline reshuffle.
Ashley-Cooper scored Australia's try, from full-back, during the Wallabies' most recent visit to Twickenham last year.
While the selection of Smith is the only change from last week's starting forward pack against the All Blacks; there are three changes in the backline as well as Ashley-Cooper's relocation, with fullback James O'Connor and centre Ryan Cross dropping back to the bench.
Hooker Stephen Moore, who was originally named on the bench last week before being drafted into the run-on side when injury troubled Tatafu Polota-Nau, has retained his place, with Polota-Nau selected to back him up.
Australia's 28-14 win over England last year was just the second success from the five most recent visits to London.
However, such is the level of the transition that has taken place within the Wallabies that just eight of that starting side will be back again in the run on team this Saturday: Ashley-Cooper, Peter Hynes, Mitchell and Matt Giteau, while Smith, lock Mark Chisholm, Moore and prop Benn Robinson remain from the starting forward combination.
Australia: 15 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 14 Peter Hynes, 13 Digby Ioane, 12 Quade Cooper, 11 Drew Mitchell, 10 Matt Giteau, 9 Will Genia, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 George Smith, 6 Rocky Elsom, (captain), 5 Mark Chisholm, 4 James Horwill, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Benn Robinson.
Replacements: 16 Tatafu Polota Nau, 17 Matt Dunning, 18 Dean Mumm, 19 David Pocock, 20 Luke Burgess, 21 Ryan Cross, 22 James O'Connor.
Date: Saturday, November 7
Kick-off: 14:30 GMT
Venue: Twickenham
Referee: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: George Clancy (Ireland), Tim Hayes (Wales)
Television match officials: Jim Yuille (Scotland)
Assessor: Michel Lamoulie (France)
Comments
geejay says...
Wow ,if Giteau and Genia can get this backline away then look out England. Explosive runners everywhere. George Smith (A born captain Robbie ,how on earth could you take it from him I will never know) will be a treat to watch again and if the rest of his forward partners can put in a full 80 minutes shift then sorry Martin this could be a bad day at the office for you , pity you have so many injuries but maybe a possible excuse.
Posted 22:06 06th November 2009
Apuula says...
I'm liking this team, the centre pairing if it works out could be really dangerous, Coopers skills plus Ioanes power makes for a good combinations and both players are still very young. Its funny though how both Cooper and Ioane are nz born and grew up in nz too, but hey we're all over the whole pouching agrument aye guys
Posted 01:18 06th November 2009
Damo11 says...
I never really had much time for Quade Cooper, always thought he was one of those players who spent too much time irritating people than playing. Then I watched him at Kingsholm v Gloucester on Tuesday. He had a cracking game, but after the match, walked round the ground stopping and shaking hands with anyone that was waiting. He gave them time and thanks for the support etc. Good work fella, nice one. Though being English I obviously don't want you to win Saturday, best wishes for the tour and some more caps in the future.
Posted 19:01 05th November 2009