Australia welcome trio back
Tuesday, 20 July 2010 08:02Australia coach Robbie Deans welcomes back three of his big guns for Saturday night's Tri Nations encounter with South Africa in Brisbane.
Forwards Benn Robinson and Nathan Sharpe, and livewire half-back Will Genia all return to the starting line-up after missing Australia's last Test against Ireland in June through injury.
While Robinson, Sharpe and Genia have all been passed fit to make the run-on side, fellow returnee Stephen Moore will start from the bench after a two-month absence with a broken jaw.
Queensland Reds hooker Saia Faingaa continues in the starting role for the fourth straight Test in Moore's absence.
In another switch, Adam Ashley-Cooper and James O'Connor will swap positions in the backline, with Ashley-Cooper reverting to full-back, while O'Connor will start on the wing.
'It's really good to have a few of the troops back who have been unavailable to us, and Benn and Stephen especially, given that we haven't had access to them thus far during our program,' Deans said.
'Benn has had a little bit more background than Stephen, in terms of having been able to get under way a little bit earlier after his injury, which is why he's ready to start while we are easing Stephen back in off the bench.'
The Springboks are the defending Tri Nations champions but have started the series with back-to-back defeats in New Zealand and Deans expects them to be desperate on Saturday night.
'They'll be well motivated for sure,' he said.
'Although the Springboks improved significantly in the time between the Tests in Auckland and Wellington, they'll know that they have to lift again and will be determined to do so in order to go home with their foot back in the door as far as the Tri Nations is concerned.'
