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20:29 GMT, Tuesday, 11 November 2008

Giteau back for revamped Aussies

Venue: Twickenham Date: Saturday, 15 November Kick-off: 1430 GMT Coverage: Live on Sky Sports. Highlights on BBC Three (Saturday, 1930 GMT) and BBC Two (Sunday, 1500 GMT). Live text commentary on BBC Sport website

Matt Giteau

Australia have recalled fly-half Matt Giteau in one of eight changes for Saturday's Test against England.

Peter Hynes and Drew Mitchell return on the wings while flanker George Smith and centre Ryan Cross are recalled.

Quade Cooper replaces fly-half Berrick Barnes on the bench, after the Queensland Reds star was injured in the 30-20 victory over Italy last weekend.

In total there are six survivors from the side that lost 12-10 to England in the World Cup quarter-final last year.

Adam Ashley-Cooper, Stirling Mortlock, Giteau, Smith, Stephen Moore and Nathan Sharpe were all in the side that lost in Marseille.

In the other changes for Saturday's game at Twickenham, props Benn Robinson and Al Baxter are charged with containing the intimidating front-row England pairing of Phil Vickery and Andrew Sheridan.

Sharpe returns to the second row, with Hugh McMeniman moving to the blind-side flank.

There is only one change to the side that lost 19-14 to New Zealand in the Bledisloe Cup two weeks ago.

Wallabies coach Robbie Deans believes Australia's recent record at Twickenham, which has seen them lose four games out of five, is irrelevant to his current squad.

"Many of our players have never experienced playing at Twickenham before so it holds no baggage for them"
Australia coach Robbie Deans

Their last visit to the venue, in 2005, saw them crash to a 26-16 defeat in a game that ended in uncontested scrums after Sheridan saw off Baxter and then Matt Dunning.

"This is a new group (of players) carving out its own way," said Deans. "We won't be distracted by what has gone before.

"Many of our players have never experienced playing at Twickenham before so it holds no baggage for them.

"The history has no real relevance for what is to come aside, perhaps, from highlighting the scale of the opportunity that is ahead of us."

England scrum coach Graham Rowntree believes the Wallabies' pack has improved since that famous victory in the World Cup last year, a game which saw the English scrum again dominate the Wallabies.

"What a fantastic day it was in Marseille but there is no point harping back to it," he said.

606: DEBATE
What do you think of the Australia squad?

"They have improved significantly, none more so than Stephen Moore. He is a hell of a player. He is abrasive in the tight and he is abrasive in the loose.

"They are a smart team in all facets of the game. They won't let anybody dominate them. I have a lot of respect for them and think they have improved a lot since the last time we played them."

The two teams will be playing for the Cook Cup, which Australia currently hold following their back-to-back victories over England in June 2006.


Australia: Ashley-Cooper; Hynes, Cross, Mortlock (capt), Mitchell; Giteau, Burgess; Robinson, Moore, Baxter, Chisholm, Sharpe, McMeniman, Smith, Brown.
Replacements: Polota-Nau, Dunning, Mumm, Palu, Cordingley, Cooper, Ioane.



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