Giteau ruled out of England Test
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The injury-hit Wallabies have been forced to make a late change to their starting line up for Saturday’s Test against England, after Matt Giteau was ruled out with a hip complaint.
Giteau, who sustained a heavy knock during last week’s 49-3 drubbing of Fiji, will be replaced by Waratah player Berrick Barnes.
“Inside centre Matt Giteau has failed to overcome a hip injury and has been ruled out of the side,” the Australian Rugby Union said in a statement Friday.
The late change brings Barnes, who co-captained the Australian Barbarians side which tied 28-28 with England on Tuesday, off the bench to replace Giteau. Peter Hynes takes Barnes’ spot on the bench.
The Wallabies, who Friday had their final training run ahead of the game at Subiaco Oval, already have a long injury list which includes props Benn Robinson and Ben Alexander, and hookers Stephen Moore and Tatafa Polota-Nau.
Coach Robbie Deans is using the injury crisis to implement his plan for generational change and the Wallabies will go into the match with a front row possessing just two Test caps.
Tighthead Salesi Ma’afu and hooker Saia Faingaa have one cap each, the latter debuting by playing the last 25 minutes in last weekend’s romp over Fiji, while loosehead prop Ben Daley will be making his Test debut.
By contrast, England coach Martin Johnson named experienced trio Dan Cole, Steve Thompson and Tim Payne in his front row in a powerful English pack.
Such is the turnover on the Australian side that only four players remain from the Wallabies’ starting 15 when the two sides met last November at Twickenham, with captain Rocky Elsom the only survivor from the starting pack.
The English are looking for their first win over the Wallabies on Australian soil since their famous World Cup final triumph in Sydney in 2003.
Teams:
Australia:
15. James O’Connor, 14. Digby Ioane, 13. Rob Horne, 12. Matt Giteau, 11. Drew Mitchell, 10. Quade Cooper, 9. Luke Burgess, 8. Richard Brown, 7. David Pocock, 6. Rocky Elsom (captain), 5. Nathan Sharpe, 4. Dean Mumm, 3. Salesi Ma’afu, 2. Saia Faingaa, 1. Ben Daley
Substitutes: 16. Huia Edmonds, 17. James Slipper, 18. Mark Chisholm, 19. Matt Hodgson, 20. Will Genia, 21. Berrick Barnes, 22. Kurtley Beale
[AFP]
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