Western Force prop Pekahou Cowan has been added to the Wallabies bench for Sunday’s season-opening Test against Samoa in Sydney.
Cowan has edged out NSW Waratahs veteran Al Baxter for a place in the match-day 22 following the year-ending knee injury to star loosehead Benn Robinson.
Cowna’s presence means the Wallabies will go into the game with a five-forward, two-back split among the substitutes.
The 25-year-old, who was players’ player on his Test debut against Italy in Melbourne in 2009, made the most recent of his four appearances last year against Fiji in Canberra.
He held a regular starting position in the Force front row as part of a much improved Western Australian scrum, during this season’s Super Rugby competition.
Wallabies: Mark Gerrard, James O’Connor, Adam Ashley Cooper, Pat McCabe, Digby Ioane, Matt Giteau, Nick Phipps, Ben McCalman, Matt Hodgson, Rocky Elsom (capt), Nathan Sharpe, Sitaleki Timani, Ben Alexander, Stephen Moore, Sekope Kepu.
Reserves: James Hanson, Pekahou Cowan, Dan Vickerman, Scott Higginbotham, Beau Robinson, Will Genia, Kurtley Beale.
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