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Smith to lead Wallabies in second Italy test
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/i...ond-Italy-test
Last updated 15:01 16/06/2009
George Smith will lead Australia for just the third time in test matches after being named as skipper of the Wallabies for Saturday night's second test against Italy in Melbourne.
The game's most capped loose forward, who became Australia's 75th test captain when he led the side against Canada at the 2007 Rugby World Cup, takes over from regular leader Stirling Mortlock, who is being rested this week.
Smith led Australia for the second time in tests last year, when the Wallabies beat the All Blacks 34-19 at ANZ Stadium in Sydney. He was also in charge when Australia beat a star-studded Barbarians side 18-11 to round out last year's Spring Tour of Hong Kong and Europe.
The absence of Mortlock is one of four personnel changes to the Wallabies line-up from last week's match-night squad of 22 players.
Ryan Cross replaces Mortlock at outside centre while Peter Hynes completes his return from a knee injury he sustained during the Super 14, stepping in for Drew Mitchell on the wing. Both players tuned up for this weekend's re-entry to the international arena by appearing for their clubs last Saturday in Sydney and Brisbane respectively.
The third change promises a big night in the Cowan household, with the Western Force prop Pekahou Cowan being handed the opportunity to make his test debut.
The 23-year-old, who has turned out for his Warringah club in each of the last two weeks, will become the 834th player to have appeared for Australia in test matches. Cowan's selection also makes him the 15th new player to have been introduced to the Wallabies since Robbie Deans took over as national coach last year.
Cowan will be joined in the starting front row by NSW Waratahs hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau and Brumbies prop Ben Alexander, who gains his first test start at tighthead.
Both Polota-Nau and Alexander appeared off the bench last weekend but have come in for Stephen Moore and Benn Robinson, who are this week listed on the bench.
Last week's tighthead prop Al Baxter is being rested as is No 8 Richard Brown, with the latter's place in the match night squad being taken by NSW Waratahs skipper Phil Waugh, who is the fourth personnel change as he joins the run on substitutes.
Saturday night's combination additionally features three positional alterations from the line-up which over-powered Italy 31-8 at Canberra Stadium last weekend.
One of those involves the skipper, with Smith moving from the openside flank to the back of the scrum, in order to accommodate the inclusion of the Western Force 21-year-old David Pocock.
Pocock will make his maiden test start after three previous appearances off the run on reserves bench.
Quade Cooper, who has only previously appeared from the bench at test level, also takes his first run on bow, in what will be his fifth international, but will play from inside centre.
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He has been positioned outside of his regular team-mate at the Queensland Reds, Berrick Barnes, who switches from inside centre to first five. Barnes last appeared in the number 10 jersey for the Wallabies against Italy at Padova last year.
Regular first five Matt Giteau this week starts from the bench.
The third positional switch sees the NSW Waratahs utility forward Dean Mumm revert to the second row in the place of Nathan Sharpe, which allows Peter Kimlin to run out on the blindside flank. Kimlin became Wallaby number 833 when he appeared off the bench last weekend in Canberra.
Deans says the changes to his line-up reflect a desire to spread the work load while giving more players an opportunity.
"We believe in the whole group. That is why we selected them," Deans says.
"The guys who are coming in this week are good to go. Most of them showed what they could do last weekend in Canberra when they added to our performance after coming on from the bench."
He said the changes did not reflect any dis-satisfaction with last week's performance. Nor were the Wallabies under-estimating the Italians at all.
"The changes should not be seen as a slight on the blokes who have missed out after last weekend. It's quite the opposite. We were happy with the way the guys played," Deans says.
"This week is about our growth as a group. We've got potentially 14 test matches to play this year, as well as the Barbarians game we've already had. Not only would it be unrealistic to focus that entire work load on the same players, a policy like that would also deny us the opportunity to develop others."
Italy provided fierce competition last weekend in Canberra and Deans is expecting further strong resistance in the rematch.
"They will have got a lot out of that performance," he says.
"They have shown in their last two test matches against us that they are not too far off taking out a major nation. Nick [Italy coach, Nick Mallett] is quite clearly adding to their game all of the time. I've no doubt that Italy will be a major challenge again."
WALLABIES: 15 James O'Connor, 14 Lachie Turner, 13 Ryan Cross, 12 Quade Cooper, 11 Peter Hynes, 10 Berrick Barnes, 9 Luke Burgess, 8 George Smith, 7 David Pocock, 6 Peter Kimlin, 5 Dean Mumm, 4 James Horwill, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Pekahou Cowan. Reserves: 16 Stephen Moore, 17 Benn Robinson, 18 Nathan Sharpe, 19 Phil Waugh, 20 Josh Valentine, 21 Matt Giteau, 22.Adam Ashley-Cooper.
