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The return of George Smith to the starting XV, and the selection of an entirely new midfield combination featuring Digby Ioane and Quade Cooper, are the key changes to the TWF Wallabies starting line-up that has been named today for Saturday’s Cook Cup Test against England in London.
Smith, the game’s fifth most capped player, has swapped roles with the Western Force 21-year-old David Pocock from last week. He will play in his 107th Test.
Ioane plays his sixth Test match, but his first at centre, after making a successful return from injury on the wing last weekend against the All Blacks. The powerful 24-year-old converted to the midfield for the Queensland Reds this year, making 10 appearances at centre before his efforts were curtailed by a shoulder injury that required surgery to correct.
He teams up with his state colleague Cooper, who has won selection for his eighth Test, but just his second at inside centre, after starring with 16 points from the flyhalf position during Tuesday night’s 36-5 win over Gloucester.
The 21-year-old features in the run on side for just the second time, and both have been in the number 12 jersey, after he started from that position during Australia’s 34-12 win over Italy at Melbourne in June. Cooper also played inside centre during the Queensland Reds’ final match of this year’s Investec Super 14, scoring a try against the Hurricanes at Suncorp Stadium.
The re-positioning of Ioane in the number 13 jersey has opened the way for Drew Mitchell, who scored two tries on Tuesday night at Kingsholm, to return on the wing after he was unused from the bench in Tokyo.
Cooper’s elevation from last week’s Test reserves allows Adam Ashley Cooper to return to fullback – the position he was originally selected for last week, before the injury to team vice captain Berrick Barnes prompted a late backline reshuffle. Ashley-Cooper scored Australia’s try, from fullback, during the Wallabies’ most recent visit to Twickenham last year.
While the selection of Smith is the only change from last week’s starting forward pack against the All Blacks; there are three changes in the backline as well as Ashley-Cooper’s relocation, with fullback James O’Connor and centre Ryan Cross dropping back to the bench.
Hooker Stephen Moore, who was originally named on the bench last week before being drafted into the run on side when injury troubled Tatafu Polota-Nau, has retained his place, with Polota-Nau selected to back him up.
Moore was the man of the match during the Cook Cup Test 12 months ago.
Australia’s 28-14 win over England last year was just its second success from its five most recent visits to London.
However, such is the level of the transition that has taken place within the Wallabies; just eight of that starting side will be back again in the run on team this Saturday.
Four are backs: Ashley-Cooper, Peter Hynes, Mitchell and Matt Giteau, while Smith, lock Mark Chisholm, Moore and prop Benn Robinson remain from the starting forward combination.
The match will be refereed by Bryce Lawrence of New Zealand.
The TWF Wallabies team to play England in the Cook Cup Test at Twickenham Stadium, London, on Saturday 7 November, 2.30pm kick off (10.30pm, Sat 8 Nov, Perth Time), is:
1. Benn Robinson (NSW Waratahs)
2. Stephen Moore (Brumbies)
3. Ben Alexander (Brumbies)
4. James Horwill (Queensland Reds)
5. Mark Chisholm (Brumbies)
6. Rocky Elsom (Brumbies, captain)
7. George Smith (Brumbies)
8. Wycliff Palu (NSW Waratahs)
9. Will Genia (Queensland Reds)
10. Matt Giteau (Brumbies)
11. Drew Mitchell (NSW Waratahs)
12. Quade Cooper (Queensland Reds)
13. Digby Ioane (Queensland Reds)
14. Peter Hynes (Queensland Reds)
15. Adam Ashley-Cooper (Brumbies)
16. Tatafu Polota Nau (NSW Waratahs)
17. Matt Dunning (Western Force)
18. Dean Mumm (NSW Waratahs)
19. David Pocock (Western Force)
20. Luke Burgess (NSW Waratahs)
21. Ryan Cross (Western Force)
22. James O’Connor (Western Force)
Australia v England – Historical Notes
• This is the 37th Test match between Australia and England. Australia has won 21 and England 14 while the 1997 contest in London resulted in a 15-15 draw.
• England holds a narrow 10 wins to eight advantage with one drawn, from the 19 matches played on English soil. This includes victories in three of the last five matches played.
• Flanker George Smith will advance ahead of Chris Latham, with 12, as the second most capped Australian player against England, behind George Gregan who featured on 16 occasions.
• The two teams compete for the Cook Cup, which was established in 1997. The cup is named after Captain James Cook and is currently held by Australia.
• Although the links between the countries are undoubtedly close, the intensity of the rivalry between the two is a relatively modern phenomenon. This is evidenced by the fact that only six Tests had been played prior to the 1970s. Australia and England have twice met in Rugby World Cup finals, sharing the spoils one apiece, each having prevailed on the other’s home turf.
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(BTW - I haven't actually checked previous rosters)
Originally Posted by BDAVEY
