News

Elsom back to face South Africa

Thursday 21st August 2008

Fighting fit: Elsom has won his fitness battle and will start on Saturday

Rocky Elsom has won his fitness battle and will start at blindside flanker for Australia when they take on South Africa in at the ABSA Stadium in Durban on Saturday.

Elsom had been a major doubt for Saturday's Tri-Nations clash but has handed Robbie Deans a massive boost by passing his fitness test.

Further good news for Deans and the Wallabies came in the shape of James Horwill passing his fitness test too, shaking off the foot injury that had been troubling him in recent weeks.

In total there are five changes to the side who got thumped 39-10 against New Zealand last time out, with Drew Mitchell, Sam Cordingley and Dan Vickerman completing the changes.

With Luke Burgess ruled out of the Wallabies' tour with injury Cordingley was always favourite to come into the side, as was Mitchell who replaces the injured Adam Ashley-Cooper at full-back.

Vickerman's inclusion in the second row comes at Nathan Sharpe's expense, the latter not even making the 28-man touring party for the two-Test trip to South Africa.

With Elsom back to full fitness Deans was able to revert back to a traditional back row mix, having deployed two openside flankers, George Smith and Phil Waugh, against New Zealand.

The Wallabies have been preparing for Saturday's Test at sea-level in Cape Town, but will fly to Durban on Friday in time for a team run at the stadium before looking to pick up the win that will see their Tri-Nations hopes continue.

Australia: 15 Drew Mitchell, 14 Peter Hynes, 13 Stirling Mortlock (captain), 12 Berrick Barnes, 11 Lote Tuqiri, 10 Matt Giteau, 9 Sam Cordingley, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 George Smith, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Daniel Vickerman, 4 James Horwill, 3 Matt Dunning, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Benn Robinson.
Replacements: 16 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17 Al Baxter, 18 Hugh McMeniman, 19 Phil Waugh, 20 Brett Sheehan, 21 Timana Tahu, 22 Ryan Cross.

Date: Saturday 23 August, 2008
Kick-off: 15.00 (13.00 GMT)
Venue: ABSA Stadium, Durban
Referee: Lyndon Bray (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand) , Rob Debney (England)
Television Match Official: Romain Poite (France)