Sept 11 (Reuters) – Veteran lock Nathan Sharpe has been
named to lead Australia against Argentina in their Rugby
Championship clash on Saturday, the third captain named by
Wallabies coach Robbie Deans this season.
Sharpe, who had planned to retire after the Super Rugby
season but was persuaded by Deans to play on in the southern
hemisphere tournament, replaces Will Genia as captain after the
scrumhalf ruptured a knee ligament in the Wallabies’ 26-19 win
over South Africa in Perth on Saturday.
Genia had taken the captaincy from David Pocock, who had
also sustained a season-ending knee injury against New Zealand
in their first match of the championship.
Pocock had in turn taken it from regular captain James
Horwill, who was ruled out of the test season when he sustained
a hamstring injury during the Super Rugby competition.
Australia team: 15-Berrick Barnes, 14-Dom Shipperley,
13-Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12-Pat McCabe, 11-Digby Ioane, 10-Quade
Cooper, 9-Nick Phipps, 8-Radike Samo, 7-Michael Hooper, 6-Dave
Dennis, 5-Nathan Sharpe (captain), 4-Kane Douglas, 3-Ben
Alexander, 2-Tatafu Polota Nau, 1-Benn Robinson
Replacements: 16-Stephen Moore/Saia Fainga’a, 17-James
Slipper, 18-Scott Higginbotham, 19-Liam Gill, 20-Brett Sheehan,
21-Anthony Fainga’a, 22-Kurtley Beale
(Reporting by Greg Stutchbury in Wellington; Editing by Ian
Ransom)
