Manly flanker George Smith will lead a side featuring three changes from that which lost to South Africa, after the Wallabies team was named today for Saturday night's Bledisloe Cup match against New Zealand.
Northern Suburbs back Adam Ashley-Cooper moves from fullback to outside centre, which allows the 19-year-old James O'Connor to make his first start in a Bledisloe Cup Test, after excelling at fullback coming off the bench, during the last 50 minutes of the match in South Africa.
Elsewhere, former HSBC Waratah Rocky Elsom makes his comeback to Australian colours on the blindside flank, having finally overcome the knee injury he brought back with him on his return to Australia.
The presence of Elsom necessitates the third change, with Warringah backrower Richard Brown being shifted from the side to the back of the scrum in place of HSBC Waratahs No.8 Wycliff Palu.
"While he hasn't been able to get a game in, Rocky has done the work to get back up to speed. We are satisfied that he is good to go," Qantas Wallabies coach Robbie Deans says. "It is a big ask of him to make his comeback in a Bledisloe Cup and Tri Nations Test, but that's the reality of our schedule, and is the sort of challenge he thrives on."
Deans said the decisions to relocate Brown to No 8, while moving Ashley-Cooper to centre, with O'Connor starting at fullback, were form-related choices.
The decision to start O'Connor was not considered a risk, he said, based on the way the teenaged Western Force back had performed in South Africa.
"He showed in Cape Town that he was quite capable of handling himself at this level," Deans says.
"The pressure there, given the circumstance in which James entered the game [Australia was 10-20 down and had just lost skipper Stirling Mortlock to injury], was as great then as it could be, and he acquitted himself well.
"As did Adam, when he moved into centre after Stirling was injured. Saturday is another good opportunity for him in the midfield."
Australia beat New Zealand 34-19 in the corresponding Tri Nations and Bledisloe Cup clash last year in Sydney. Eleven of the starting XV from that night have been selected again today although the team has an entirely new three-quarter line in the backline [fullback, wings and centre] as well as a different No 8.
Tri-Nations Match 5 / Bledisloe Cup Match 1
AUSTRALIA V NEW ZEALAND
Saturday 22 August 2009 (Kick-off 8:00pm AEST)
ANZ Stadium, Sydney Olympic Park
AUSTRALIA
15. James O'Connor (Cottesloe, Western Force)
14. Lachie Turner (Eastwood, HSBC Waratahs)
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper (Northern Suburbs, Brumbies)
12. Berrick Barnes (West Brisbane, HSBC Waratahs)
11. Drew Mitchell (Randwick, HSBC Waratahs)
10. Matt Giteau (Associates, Western Force)
9. Luke Burgess (Sydney University, HSBC Waratahs)
8. Richard Brown (Warringah, Western Force)
7. George Smith (Manly, Brumbies)
6. Rocky Elsom (Randwick, Brumbies)
5. Nathan Sharpe (Rockingham, Western Force)
4. James Horwill (University of Queensland, Queensland Reds)
3. Al Baxter (Northern Suburbs, HSBC Waratahs)
2. Stephen Moore (University of Queensland, Brumbies)
1. Benn Robinson (Eastwood, HSBC Waratahs)
Reserves
16. Tatafu Polota-Nau (Parramatta, HSBC Waratahs)
17. Ben Alexander (Eastwood, Brumbies)
18. Dean Mumm (Sydney University, HSBC Waratahs)
19. David Pocock (University of WA, Western Force)
20. Will Genia (North Brisbane, Queensland Reds)
21. Ryan Cross (Eastern Suburbs, Western Force)
22. Peter Hynes (University of Queensland, Queensland Reds)