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Faingaa twins to start for the Wallabies

5th August, 2010
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Twins Anthony and Saia Faingaa have crowned their meteoric rise to international rugby with selection in the Wallabies’ starting side for Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup and Tri Nations Test against New Zealand in Christchurch.

The 23-year-old Faingaa brothers will become the first twins to play a Test together for the Wallabies since Mark and Glen Ella helped Australia to a 29-7 victory over Italy in Rovigo in 1983.

Anthony Faingaa replaces Berrick Barnes at inside centre, while Saia will start at hooker instead of Stephen Moore.

Barnes and Moore have both been relegated to the bench as the Wallabies try to break an eight-match losing streak against the All Blacks with a first Test triumph in New Zealand since 2001.

All up, coach Robbie Deans has made three personnel changes and one positional switch to his side which lost 49-28 to the All Blacks last Saturday in Melbourne.

Kurtley Beale will start at fullback, with Adam Ashley-Cooper moving to outside centre to replace Rob Horne, who suffered a season-ending elbow fracture at Etihad Stadium.

Winger Cameron Shepherd, who makes his return to the Test arena after last appearing against France at Brisbane in 2008, was also named on the bench on Thursday.

Drew Mitchell has retained his place on the wing despite last Saturday becoming the first Australian in 33 years to be sent off in a Test match, a decision which the IRB on Wednesday all but conceded should not have been made.

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The versatile Ashley-Cooper, set for his 43rd Test, has featured at outside centre on four occasions for the Wallabies during Deans’s two-year tenure, including three times in 2009.

His most recent outing in the No.13 jumper came during last year’s Test against the All Blacks in Wellington.

The Faingaa twins last weekend came off the bench to become the 40th set of brothers and the third twins to appear in Test matches for Australia.

Australia must win on Saturday to prevent New Zealand from retaining the Bledisloe Cup for an eighth straight year with a record ninth successive victory over the Wallabies.

The All Blacks can also win back the Tri Nations trophy from South Africa with victory at AMI Stadium.

Wallabies team to play the All Blacks in Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup and Tri-Nations Test against New Zealand in AMI Stadium in Christchurch: Kurtley Beale, James O’Connor, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Anthony Faingaa, Drew Mitchell, Matt Giteau, Will Genia, Richard Brown, David Pocock, Rocky Elsom (capt), Nathan Sharpe, Dean Mumm, Salesi Ma’afu, Saia Faingaa, Benn Robinson. Reserves: Stephen Moore, James Slipper, Rob Simmons, Matt Hodgson, Luke Burgess, Berrick Barnes, Cameron Shepherd.

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