RUGBY:AUSTRALIA COACH Robbie Deans has beefed up his pack in an effort to match the physicality of South Africa's set-piece in Saturday's Tri-Nations Test in Bloemfontein following the 44-31 Pretoria defeat last Saturday.
In three changes, hooker Stephen Moore and number eight Ben McCalman were promoted from the bench, while lock Mark Chisholm earned a recall having not featured for the Wallabies since earning his 51st cap against Ireland in June.
Lock Dean Mumm, hooker Saia Faingaa and number eight Richard Brown drop to the bench, while loose forward Scott Higginbotham falls out of the match 22 from the team which lost 44-31 to the Springboks in Pretoria last Saturday.
“The changes are less about shortcomings and more about considering the order in which we will use our blokes,” Deans said.
“McCalman has done really well off the bench and he will bring a real physical presence. Mark Chisholm has a big frame and we want him to use it at the set-piece. We believe that we will be better for the added weight in the scrums,” added Deans.
The 22-year-old McCalman will be making his run-on debut after two substitute appearances, while the match will be a special occasion for Moore and wing Drew Mitchell, with both set to reach the 50-Test mark on Saturday.
Mitchell said that despite reaching the milestone he was more focused on his team’s performance.
“It’s a tremendous honour to reach 50 caps but at the moment there is a bigger picture,” Mitchell said. “It is a very important time for the team. Being as close as we were on the weekend and not being able to come away with a win is pretty disappointing and everyone just wants to get on with the job.
“When we don’t stick to our systems we leak points and we let teams back into the game.”
Australia have won only twice in South Africa at altitude, the last time at Ellis Park in Johannesburg in 1963, and Mitchell said that although the team was aware of their seeming inability to win on the highveld there was a belief they could beat South Africa.
“The boys have a collective belief that we are capable of doing it. We beat South Africa in Brisbane this year and although it is different playing them in South Africa we feel that based on our previous performances against them we have shown that we are capable (of winning).”
Utility back Colin Slade, meanwhile, has been called into the All Blacks squad to replace the injured Dan Carter for their final Tri-Nations match against Australia in Sydney on September 11th.
Carter underwent ankle surgery after the All Blacks beat South Africa 29-22 in Soweto on August 21st to clinch their fifth Tri-Nations title in six years with a game to spare.
He is not expected to return until New Zealand’s end of season tour to Hong Kong and Europe.
Aaron Cruden, Carter’s international understudy this season, is likely to make his first start against Australia at the Olympic Stadium.
AUSTRALIA: K Beale; J O’Connor, A Ashley-Cooper, M Giteau, D Mitchell; Q Cooper, W Genia; B Robinson, S Moore, S Maafu, D Mumm, N Sharpe, R Elsom, R Pocock, B McCalman. Replacements: S Faingaa, J Slipper, D Mumm, R Brown, L Burgess, B Barnes, A Faingaa.
NEW ZEALAND (squad): Forwards: J Afoa, A Boric, T Donnelly, C Flynn, B Franks, O Franks, J Kaino, R McCaw, K Mealamu, K Read, B Thorn, V Vito, S Whitelock, T Woodcock. Backs: J Cowan, A Cruden, I Dagg, C Jane, M Muliaina, M Nonu, R Ranger, J Rokocoko, C Slade, C Smith, B Stanley, P Weepu.
