Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Aussies make change for Boks game

Tri-Nations: Australia v South Africa
Date: Saturday, 5 September Kick-off 1105 BST Venue: Lang Park, Brisbane
Coverage: Live scores on BBC Sport website. Live on Sky Sports 2

Australia coach Robbie Deans
Deans's team have take a mauling from critics this season

Australia have made five changes to the starting line-up for Saturday's Tri-Nations game with South Africa.

Centre Berrick Barnes returns after injury and four players who were on the bench for last week's 32-25 loss to the Springboks are included.

George Smith moves to number eight so David Pocock can replace Richard Brown.

Drew Mitchell replaces Peter Hynes on the wing, with Tatafu Polota-Nau in for Stephen Moore in the front row, and scrum-half Will Genia makes his debut.

Australia are out of contention for the competition, having lost all four games in the tournament so far.

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Coach Robbie Deans's team have come in for huge criticism, but he said his side would not lack motivation despite it being a dead rubber.

"It's a Test match and against the world's best team at one of the premier venues in world rugby," he said.

"That's not a prospect any of our blokes would take lightly. Every time you put on your national jumper you want to, and expect to, do your best."

By contrast, Peter de Villiers' South Africa team have won four games out of four in the competition and could win the tournament this coming weekend.

And he said his side could get even better if they tightened up their game.

"It's frightening to know, the amount of mistakes on a weekend when you have played so well, the amount of mistakes they made and how good they can be if clinical in their execution," he said.

"So yes, we trust each other, we know where we can be and we know where we want to be, but we're not taking anything for granted."

The world champions make two injury-enforced changes to the squad for the game at Brisbane's Lang Park.

The only change to the starting XV is Odwa Ndungane in for hamstring-injury victim JP Pietersen on the wing.

On the bench Danie Rossouw, who has just recovered from a hamstring injury, replaces lock Andries Bekker, who has a shoulder problem.

Lock Bakkies Botha and wing Bryan Habana are both included despite minor injury concerns.

Line-ups for Tri-Nations match at Lang Park, Brisbane:

Australia: O'Connor, Turner, Ashley-Cooper, Barnes, Mitchell; Giteau, Genia; Smith (captain), Pocock, Elsom; Chisholm, Horwill; Alexander, Polota-Nau, Robinson. Replacements: Moore, Cowan, Mumm, Palu, Burgess, Cooper, Hynes.

South Africa: Pienaar; Ndungane, Fourie, de Villiers, Habana; Steyn, du Preez; Mtawarira, du Plessis, Smit (capt); Botha. Matfield; Brussow, Smith, Spies. Replacements: Ralepelle, du Plessis, Rossouw, Burger, Januarie, Jacobs, Steyn.

ะพ 12:36 AM

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