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Qantas Wallabies Coach John Connolly has today named his team for Saturday night’s 2nd Bundaberg Rum Rugby Series Test against England at Melbourne’s Telstra Dome.
Connolly has made three changes to his starting lineup after last Sunday’s 34-3 victory at Telstra Stadium, with the winner of Saturday’s Test to receive the Cook Cup.
Stirling Mortlock will become the 73rd player to captain the Qantas Wallabies with regular skipper George Gregan named on the reserve bench.
Gregan will occupy a place on the reserve bench for the first time since 1996, while resurgent Reds scrumhalf Sam Cordingley will resurrect his Test career after a six-year hiatus.
Cordingley last represented the Wallabies in a three-point loss to England at Twickenham in 2000.
While it will be a significant match for Cordingley, 13-year Test veteran Gregan is in line to raise another career milestone.
If he takes the field on Saturday night, the 33-year-old will become the most capped international player in the history of the game, breaking Jason Leonard’s record of 119 Test appearances for England and the British and Irish Lions.
Waratahs hooker Adam Freier has been called in from outside the 22 from the Wallabies’ opening Test victory in Sydney last weekend and will start his first Test at hooker since his debut season of 2002.
Connolly has made one further change to his starting pack, selecting 114kg lock Mark Chisholm at blindside flanker to replace Daniel Heenan, who is being rested with a minor shoulder injury.
With Chisholm moving into the Wallaby Number 6 jersey for the first time in his career, Waratahs flanker Wycliff Palu earns his first selection in a Wallaby 22 on the reserves bench.
Connolly said player management was important.
“It was always our goal to broaden our player base leading up to the World Cup,” he said.
“The load has increased on players with the expanded Super 14 season and a longer Test program so it’s matter of managing players as well as exposing more of the squad to this level,” he said.
Notes
* Stirling Mortlock will captain the Qantas Wallabies for the first time and make his 43rd overall Test appearance.
* Adam Freier’s last starting team appearance for the Qantas Wallabies was against Italy on the 2002 Spring Tour.
* Mark Chisholm has not started a Super 14 or Test match at blindside flanker.
2006 Bundaberg Rum Rugby Series
Match: Australia v England
Venue: Telstra Dome, Melbourne, Australia
Date: Saturday 17 June 2006
Kick Off: 8.00pm AEST
Referee: Steve Walsh (NZ)
Qantas Wallabies:
1. Greg Holmes
2. Adam Freier
3. Rodney Blake
4. Nathan Sharpe
5. Dan Vickerman (vc)
6. Mark Chisholm
7. George Smith
8. Rocky Elsom
9. Sam Cordingley
10. Stephen Larkham
11. Lote Tuqiri
12. Mat Rogers
13. Stirling Mortlock (c)
14. Mark Gerrard
15. Chris Latham
16. Jeremy Paul
17. Al Baxter
18. Wycliff Palu *22
19. Phil Waugh
20. George Gregan
21. Clyde Rathbone
22. Cameron Shepherd
Coach: John Connolly
Key: *22 First time selected in a Wallaby 22
Unavailable for selection due to injury: Matt Giteau, Daniel Heenan