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There are three changes in personnel, and a positional switch in the Qantas Wallabies starting XV that has been named today for Saturday night’s second Bledisloe Cup Test against New Zealand in Christchurch.
NSW Waratahs fullback Kurtley Beale and the Faingaa twins, inside centre Anthony and hooker Saia, have all been promoted into the run on side after featuring from the bench during last weekend’s 28-49 loss to the All Blacks in Melbourne.
They take the places of Rob Horne, Berrick Barnes and Stephen Moore respectively, with Adam Ashley-Cooper reverting from fullback to centre in the absence of the injured Horne.
Barnes and Moore have been named on the bench alongside Western Force winger Cameron Shepherd, who makes his return to the Test arena after last having appeared against France at Brisbane in 2008.
Shepherd has played nine previous Tests for Australia.
Ashley-Cooper, who will on Saturday be appearing in his 43rd Test, has featured at centre on four occasions for the Qantas Wallabies in recent seasons. This includes three times during last year’s Bundaberg Red Tri Nations series.
His most recent outing in the position for Australia was during last year’s Test against the All Blacks in Wellington.
The Faingaa twins, who last weekend became the 40th set of brothers, and the third twins to appear in Test matches for Australia after appearing off the bench, will now start alongside each other at Test level for the first time.
The Qantas Wallabies team to play New Zealand in the Bundaberg Red Tri Nations Series and Bledisloe Cup Test at AMI Stadium, Christchurch on Saturday 7 August, 7.35pm kick off (5.35pm, AEST), is:
1. Benn Robinson (NSW Waratahs)
2. Saia Faingaa (Queensland Reds)
3. Salesi Ma’afu (Brumbies)
4. Dean Mumm (NSW Waratahs)
5. Nathan Sharpe (Western Force)
6. Rocky Elsom (Brumbies, captain)
7. David Pocock (Western Force)
8. Richard Brown (Western Force)
9. Will Genia (Queensland Reds)
10. Matt Giteau (Brumbies)
11. Drew Mitchell (NSW Waratahs)
12. Anthony Faingaa (Queensland Reds)
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper (Brumbies)
14. James O’Connor (Western Force)
15. Kurtley Beale (NSW Waratahs)
16. Stephen Moore (Brumbies)
17. James Slipper (Queensland Reds)
18. Rob Simmons (Queensland Reds)
19. Matt Hodgson (Western Force)
20. Luke Burgess (NSW Waratahs)
21. Berrick Barnes (NSW Waratahs)
22. Cameron Shepherd (Western Force)
Australia v New Zealand @ Christchurch – Historical Notes
- Australia won on its maiden appearance at the then Lancaster Park in 1913, inflicting a 16-5 defeat on New Zealand in what was the first ever Test match at the venue.
- Saturday night represents the 16th game between the two teams in Christchurch, with New Zealand having won nine times, while Australia has claimed six wins, most recently 27-23, 12 years ago.
- Australia’s 27-23 win over New Zealand in 1998 is the last instance of the All Blacks being beaten in a Christchurch Test. New Zealand has won 10 straight in the city since that match, with Australia twice falling during the unbeaten run.
- Australia won five of the first six trans-Tasman Tests played in Christchurch (in 1913, 1921, 1928, 1952 and 1958), but has prevailed just once in the time since.
- Current Qantas Wallabies coach Robbie Deans was the coaching coordinator of the All Blacks when New Zealand beat Australia 12-6 at Christchurch in 2002.
- Saturday night will see Nathan Sharpe play his 85th Test match, setting a new record for the most games by an Australian second-rower, edging ahead of the 84 games as a lock played by ex-skipper John Eales.
- This is the 162nd match of a trans-Tasman rivalry between teams representing Australia and New Zealand that dates back to 1903 when New Zealand won the inaugural meeting 22-3 in Sydney. These figures include 39 matches played between 1920 and 1928 when NSW represented Australia in matches that were granted official Test status by the Australian Rugby Union.
- Of the 161 games played between the two nations, New Zealand has won 111 and Australia 45, with five draws – the most recent of which occurred 20 years ago, 19-19 at Brisbane in 1988.
- The Bledisloe Cup was donated by the then Governor General of New Zealand, Lord Bledisloe, for competition between the two countries in 1931.
- Australia won the trophy for the first time in 1934, beating New Zealand 25-11 in Sydney.
- The last example of an Australian win on New Zealand soil was in 2001, when the Wallabies scored 23-15 in Dunedin. The All Blacks have won the 10 games that have been played between the two teams in New Zealand since that match.