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Australia's experiment with inside centre Matt Giteau at scrum half appears over after George Gregan's dominant performance in Saturday night's 31-0 win over Wales.
Gregan, who holds the world record for the number of Test caps at 129, came on at half-time with Australia leading a second-string Welsh team just 6-0 and struggling to find rhythm and direction.
But with Giteau moving back to centre and Gregan placed alongside fly half partner Stephen Larkham, the Wallabies looked a different team in the second half, crossing for three tries and unlucky not to score more.
Gregan had a hand in the final try when his neat inside ball to Julian Huxley put the Australian full-back into a hole, with Huxley chipping ahead and regathering to put the Wallabies out to a commanding lead.
Wallabies coach John Connolly, who has been playing Giteau at scrum half in a bid to add depth to the squad, conceded that Gregan coming on had turned the game.
"George made a significant difference - the players looked more comfortable," he said.
Connolly said he always intended to start Gregan in next Saturday's Test against Fiji in Perth, but his performance in the second half confirmed the 34-year-old's status as the number one scrum half in Australia.
And he conceded Giteau's role as scrum half was effectively over.
"You never say no to anything," he said. "But it all depends on injuries and the situation in the game. Tonight we thought we needed George -- urgently."
Captain Stirling Mortlock said the whole backline settled down when Gregan came on.
"We're certainly very comfortable with each other -- George, Larkham, Gitts and myself have played a lot of football together so it's a good combination," Mortlock said. "It was just like the old days, really."
He said the Wallabies had improved since last week and he expected to see that continue in the build-up to the World Cup.
"We've got five games to go before the World Cup so we have to improve week in, week out, and I think we did that tonight," Mortlock said.
"We're playing quality opposition with the Tri-Nations not too far down the track, and that's really high quality, intense football throughout that period," he said.
"We want to be going to the World Cup with a lot of confidence."
Australia play Fiji in Perth on Saturday before home and away games against South Africa and New Zealand.
Giteau will miss next Saturday's Test against Fiji due to a minor knee injury. Queensland's Sam Cordingley has been called into the squad as a replacement.
ABC
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