Rocky Elsom will captain Australia for the first time on home soil in his 50th test, named to lead the Wallabies in their first test of 2010 against Fiji in Canberra.
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The side features three debutants in centre Rob Horne, prop Salesi Ma’afu and hooker Huia Edmonds. Rising Western Force flanker Matt Hodgson and Reds hooker Saia Faingaa will also potentially make their international debuts after being named on the bench.
Most notably the Wallabies will feature Quade Cooper at first five-eighth, displacing incumbent Matt Giteau. However the Brumbies playmaker will play at second five-eighth, a position that many believe is his best. It is a positional switch for the two players, with Cooper playing outside Giteau in Australia’s last test against Wales.
Luke Burgess starts at scrumhalf as expected in the absence of Queensland captain Will Genia.
It is a powerful backline, with Kurtley Beale named at fullback, while Digby Ioane starts on the wing, after principally being used as a midfielder on the Wallabies end of year tour in 2009.
Richard Brown will play at number eight in the absence of Wycliff Palu, in a Western Force dominated back row.
Wallabies coach Robbie Deans said the team was a good platform to work off, ahead of two tests against England and Ireland before the Investec Tri Nations.
“This is the group we’ve opted to go with first up. A number of the combinations are familiar, but the selection template is always a living document,” Deans said.
“Other players in the squad will get their opportunity for the Barbarians against England next week. We’ll then assess how things have gone in the first two outings and look ahead from there.”
Deans said the Fijians were not to be under estimated.
The Pacific Islanders have actually won two tests against the Wallabies, with victories coming against the Australians in 1952 and 1954.
Overall the Wallabies have won 15 of 18 matches, with their last match being in the 2007 World Cup where then coach John Connelly led his team to a 55-12 victory in Pool B.
“The individual talent the Fijian players possess is well known,” Deans said.
“On their day, they are capable of anything, as has been shown historically, where teams who have under-estimated their capabilities have been burnt.”
“We are playing a Test match and you never, ever, take those for granted.”
Australia: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 Digby Ioane, 13 Rob Horne, 12 Matt Giteau, 11 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 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 Huia Edmonds, 1 Ben Alexander.
Replacements: 16 Saia Faingaa, 17 Pekahou Cowan, 18 Mark Chisholm, 19 Matt Hodgson, 20 Josh Valentine, 21 Drew Mitchell, 22 James O’Connor.
June 3rd, 2010 at 11:55 am
Wonder if his dad likes the Rokey movies.
June 3rd, 2010 at 12:06 pm
Would be funny if he’s missus is called Adrian.
June 3rd, 2010 at 12:33 pm
Rocky IV was my fav.
After watching that plus karate kid and a few ninja movies I felt invincible.
