Australia have been forced to make a change to their bench for Saturday's clash with New Zealand after Saia Fainga'a was ruled out.
The Reds hooker was initially named on the bench for the Bledisloe Cup encounter in Brisbane.
However Fainga'a damaged his hand in training on Tuesday - with tests revealing he had broken it.
As a result James Hanson comes in on the bench as Australia attempt to halt New Zealand's 16-Test winning run.
The injury to Fainga'a is the latest blow for Wallabies boss Robbie Deans, who saw Digby Ioane and Dom Shipperley also ruled out in the build-up to the match.
Australia: 15 Mike Harris, 14 Nick Cummins, 13 Ben Tapuai, 12 Pat McCabe, 11 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 10 Kurtley Beale, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 Michael Hooper, 6 Scott Higginbotham, 5 Nathan Sharpe (c), 4 Sitaleki Timani, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Tatafu Polota Nau, 1 Benn Robinson.
Replacements (revised): 16 James Hanson, 17 James Slipper, 18 Kane Douglas, 19 Dave Dennis, 20 Liam Gill, 21 Brett Sheehan, 22 Drew Mitchell.
Comments
tha_mai says...
People who pay for a match programme will be disappointed, the printed team will be so different to the one that takes the field.
Could this be a cunning plan from the Qantas Wallabies to throw the All Blacks off their game - how can they plan when they don't know who the opposition is?
Posted 11:25 18th October 2012
georgesmith says...
Oh good lord! Finally J.Hanson gets a fair chance. Is R. Deans blind, really, I think so? I'm not surprised coz most Kiwis on this blog certainly are. A super rugby winner like J. Hanson is not considered at all while average performers like T.P.N and S. Moore keep getting game time. R. Deans has destroyed the Wallabies brand. Shoot him up the ass.
Posted 02:25 18th October 2012
kiwilad says...
A bunch of softc#$ks
Posted 00:43 17th October 2012
isthatrightref says...
@ UBA05... some of them already have ;-)
Posted 22:25 16th October 2012
melkdave says...
Annother injury? Well at least it was to a player selected for the bench ,not that is much consolation .So now its 1st choice hooker ,carrying knocks and bruises from a hard RC and the 4th chioce hooker as replacement ,to face a fit ,confidant NZ .No wonder the bookies are offering such long odds on a wallaby victory..Not that i expect NZ to play all their top players in this match . .
Posted 18:47 16th October 2012
passtheball says...
Aus players as weak as water?
Posted 15:22 16th October 2012
UBA05 says...
Geez Louise!!!! The aussies really need to consider taking up Touch Rugby
Posted 15:01 16th October 2012
Trader2 says...
There is something in the water!!
Posted 12:31 16th October 2012