Australia v Ireland: Teams
Australia will be without David Pocock for the must-win clash with Ireland in Auckland.
Last Updated: 17/09/11 2:50am
Australia will be without David Pocock for the must-win clash with Ireland in Auckland.
Pocock missed training on Friday with a back strain and with the injury failing to settle down overnight coach Robbie Deans was forced into a late change to his starting XV.
Ben McCalman has been promoted from the bench to replace Pocock, with Wycliff Palu added to the squad.
Deans has made just one other change to the side that finally broke Italy's resistance - with James O'Connor replacing the injured Digby Ioane on the wing.
Change
O'Connor's place on the bench is taken by Drew Mitchell, who has been sidelined since suffering a serious ankle injury back in April.
Ireland will be buoyed by the return of key trio Sean O'Brien, Rob Kearney and Cian Healy for the encounter.
O'Brien, Kearney and Healy all missed the win over the USA as precautions, but they will they bolster the Irish line-up.
Coach Declan Kidney has also opted to change his No.9s, with Eoin Reddan replacing the benched Conor Murray.
Australia: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 James O'Connor, 13 Anthony Fainga'a, 12 Pat McCabe, 11 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Radike Samo, 7 Ben McCalman, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 James Horwill (capt), 4 Dan Vickerman, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Sekope Kepu.
Replacements:16 Tatafu Polota Nau, 17 James Slipper, 18 Rob Simmons, 19 Wycliff Palu , 20 Scott Higginbotham, 21 Luke Burgess, 22 Drew Mitchell.
Ireland: 15 R Kearney, 14 T Bowe, 13 B O'Driscoll (capt), 12 G D'Arcy, 11 K Earls, 10 J Sexton, 9 E Reddan, 1 C Healy, 2 R Best, 3 M Ross, 4 D O'Callaghan, 5 P O'Connell, 6 S Ferris, 7 S O'Brien, 8 J Heaslip.
Replacements: 16 J Flannery, 17 T Court, 18 D Ryan, 19 D Leamy, 20 C Murray, 21 R O'Gara, 22 A Trimble.
