Australia v France:AUSTRALIA'S PREPARATIONS for today's second Test against France were turned upside down when giant lock Nathan Sharpe was ruled out after a bizarre training accident on Thursday.
Sharpe, who is the vice-captain of the side and the leader of the forward pack, strained his groin when he stumbled during a practice session, forcing new coach Robbie Deans into some hasty reshuffling for the clash in Brisbane.
Deans promoted Dean Mumm from the reserves to join James Horwill in the second row, while calling up Queensland flanker Hugh McMeniman, who was in Sydney with the Australia A side, to the bench.
Sharpe is the third Australian player to be ruled out of the match because of injury, joining wing Lote Tuqiri and number eight Wycliffe Palu, but Deans said he had plenty of faith in his back-ups.
"The loss of Nathan obviously tests our depth, in terms of the Test experience our two locks have, but we've got total confidence in the guys who are there," Deans said.
Deans replaced Tuqiri with uncapped wing Lachlan Turner, who is regarded as one of the most talented young players in the country. He also recalled Stephen Hoiles for Palu as well as giving flanker Phil Waugh and utility back Adam Ashley-Cooper a chance at the expense of George Smith and Cameron Shepherd.
The Australians are overwhelming favourites to complete a 2-0 series win after crushing a below-strength France 34-13 in Sydney last weekend. Deans, who only took over the job last month, wants to use the match to have a closer look at some of his fringe players, but has warned his players not to underestimate the tourists. "They are going to rebound - that's the nature of the French, they are never down for long," Deans said.
France coach Marc Lièvremont was forced to pick a weakened squad for the two-match tour as most of the country's top players were involved in national club championship play-offs.
He responded to last week's heavy defeat at the Olympic Stadium by making seven changes to his starting side as well as reshuffling his bench.
Outside centre Maxime Mermoz and loosehead prop Pierre Correia were both selected for their first Test appearances after failing to make the 22-man squad last week. Another five players - inside centre Thibault Lacroix, wing David Janin, scrumhalf Sébastian Tillous-Borde, flanker Matthieu Lièvremont and prop Renaud Boyoud - were promoted to the starting side after making their Test debuts off the bench last week.
Five of last week's starting 15 have been relegated to the reserves while Lièvremont added two new caps to his bench, flanker Yannick Caballero and wing Jean-Baptiste Peyras.
AUSTRALIA:Adam Ashley-Cooper; Peter Hynes, Stirling Mortlock (capt), Berrick Barnes, Lachlan Turner; Matt Giteau, Luke Burgess; Benn Robinson, Stephen Moore, Al Baxter, James Horwill, Dean Mumm, Rocky Elsom, Phil Waugh, Stephen Hoiles. Replacements: Adam Freier, Ben Alexander, Hugh McMeniman, George Smith, Sam Cordingley, Ryan Cross, Cameron Shepherd.
FRANCE:Benjamin Thiery; Alexis Palisson, Maxim Mermoz, Thibault Lacroix, David Janin; François Trinh-Duc, Sébastian Tillous-Borde; Pierre Correia, Sébastien Bruno, Renaud Boyoud, Sébastien Chabal, Lionel Nallet (capt), Matthieu Lièvremont, Imanol Harinordoquy, Fulgence Ouedraogo. Replacements: Benjamin Kayser, Benoit Lecouls, David Couzinet, Louis Picamoles, Yannick Caballero, Dimitri Yachvili, Jean-Baptiste Peyras.
Referee:Paul Honiss (New Zealand).
Touch judges:Marius Jonker (South Africa), Kelvin Deaker (New Zealand).
TMO:Kelvin Deaker (NZ)
