By Rex Gowar
BUENOS AIRES Oct 4 (Reuters) – Injury-ravaged Australia
have gone for greater bulk with five changes for their final
Rugby Championship match against Argentina in Rosario on
Saturday while the Pumas are unchanged.
Both sides want to finish on a winning note with Argentina,
crushed 54-15 by title winners New Zealand last weekend, looking
for their first victory in their debut season in the southern
hemisphere’s elite tournament and fancying their chances after a
narrow 23-19 loss to the Wallabies on the Gold Coast three weeks
ago.
Wing Nick Cummins will win his first cap for the Wallabies,
who went down 31-8 to South Africa in Johannesburg last
Saturday, on the right in place of Dominic Shipperley who is on
the bench.
Injuries have put Berrick Barnes and centre Adam
Ashley-Cooper out of contention to face the Pumas with Mike
Harris stepping in for Barnes as fullback and main goal kicker
in the side named on Thursday by coach Robbie Deans.
Ben Tapuai replacing Ashley-Cooper at outside centre for his
second cap completes three changes Deans has made in the backs.
“We know that the Pumas will be coming straight at us, and
will be looking to profit in the collision in the same way that
the Springboks did last week,” Deans said.
“We’ve addressed that, both internally in our discussions,
but also with our selection, where we have gone for the players
we feel are best suited to that approach.”
There are two changes in the forwards with Sitaleki Timani
coming in for Dave Dennis for his first test as blindside
flanker after winning six caps in the second row and James
Slipper in the front row in favour of loosehead Benn Robinson.
Continued…
