Australia have recalled fly-half Quade Cooper for a Tri-Nations championship clash with South Africa at Loftus Versfeld here Saturday.
A two-week suspension ruled the Queensland Reds star out of the 10-20 loss to New Zealand in Christchurch last month and Matt Giteau took over the pivotal role with Anthony Faingaa promoted to inside centre.
The return of Cooper means Giteau will wear the No 12 jersey and Faingaa, whose twin brother Saia starts at hooker, is among seven replacements named by coach Robbie Deans.
Cooper is involved in a rugby union-rugby league tug-of-war with National Rugby League outfit Parramatta reportedly offering to more than double his salary should he switch codes.
Under pressure having won just 19 of 35 Tests since succeeding John Connolly three years ago, Deans told Cooper during training in Cape Town this week that he must banish thoughts of a career change for now.
"If any of the peripheral stuff is in the forefront of his mind it will bite him and it will bite the team," warned the former Canterbury Crusaders Super 14 handler.
"Hopefully this is not the case. Being here in South Africa is advantageous because there is less profile and less interest. It will not be easy for him against the Springboks because he has not been in rugby for a few weeks.
"To go from nothing into a Tri-Nations fixture where there is a lot of intensity and a lot at stake will be hard, especially as our opponents are hurting."
There are three changes to the Christchurch bench with Anthony Faingaa and forwards Scott Higginbotham and Ben McCalman replacing injured pair Cameron Shepherd and Matt Hodgson plus Rob Simmons.
Australia walloped reigning world champions South Africa 30-13 when they met in Brisbane during July and they also clash on September 4 at Free State Stadium in central city Bloemfontein.
A Wallaby victory this weekend on the Highveld -- where they have not won for 47 years -- would clinch second place behind runaway champions New Zealand, who have topped the table in 10 of 15 southern hemisphere championships.
Deans in unconcerned about the 1,000-metre-plus altitude of Pretoria and Bloemfontein despite Australia not having been victorious in the region since 1963, claiming the issue has been overplayed.
"High altitude is not the issue that people make out and I think with all the experience Australian teams have playing in the Super 14 it is no longer high on the minds of the players," said the coach.
Team (15-1)
Kurtley Beale; James O'Connor, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Matt Giteau, Drew Mitchell; Quade Cooper, Will Genia; Richard Brown, David Pocock, Rocky Elsom (capt); Nathan Sharpe, Dean Mumm; Salesi Ma'afu, Saia Faingaa, Benn Robinson
Replacements: Stephen Moore, James Slipper, Ben McCalman, Scott Higginbotham, Luke Burgess, Berrick Barnes, Anthony Faingaa
Copyright 2010 AFP Global Edition
