Trending Now:

Kurtley Beale back in Wallabies line-up

NZ Newswire September 4, 2012, 5:25 pm

Kurtley Beale returns to the Wallabies' starting line-up while Queensland winger Dominic Shipperley will make his debut in the team named for the Rugby Championship Test against South Africa in Perth on Saturday.

Fullback Beale was cut from the starting side in the last-start 22-0 loss to the All Blacks in Auckland after a shaky performance against them in the loss in Sydney a week earlier.

But he gets the No.15 jersey back in an Australian backline reshuffled to add much-needed thrust.

Adam Ashley-Cooper moves from fullback to outside centre, replacing Rob Horne.

The pacy Shipperley is rewarded for a strong Super Rugby season and replaces the injured Drew Mitchell.

In the forwards Radike Samo returns to the Test starting pack for the first time this year at No.8 with Scott Higginbotham dropped to the bench.

Tatafu Polota Nau, who was named at hooker for the Eden Park Test against the All Blacks but later withdrew because of injury, returns on the bench with Stephen Moore retaining the starting role.

Just eight of the players who started in Australia's last match against South Africa - an 11-9 win in the quarter-finals of last year's Rugby World Cup in New Zealand - will play in Saturday night's starting side.

Wallabies: Kurtley Beale, Dominic Shipperley, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Berrick Barnes, Digby Ioane, Quade Cooper, Will Genia; Radike Samo, Michael Hooper, Dave Dennis, Nathan Sharpe, Sitaleki Timani, Ben Alexander, Stephen Moore, Benn Robinson. Res: Tatafu Polota Nau, James Slipper, Scott Higginbotham, Liam Gill, Nick Phipps, Mike Harris, Anthony Faingaa.

FAST SPORT

Another NRL bad boy - Burgess stood down after police charge

Champions Trophy - Another loss sends Australia packing

Within reach - Socceroos cautious ahead of Iraq game

Christian and the Lions - Lealiifano ready for Wallabies debut