Thursday 24 November 2016 16:39, UK
Australia coach Michael Cheika has recalled a host of big-name players for the Test against Ireland in Dublin on Saturday.
Full-back Israel Folau and No 8 Michael Hooper headline six players who are back in the starting XV after sitting out last weekend's 25-23 win over France in Paris.
Stephen Moore, who grew up in Ireland before moving to Australia as a young child, returns at hooker to win his 116th cap and join Adam Ashley-Cooper and Nathan Sharpe as the equal second most-capped Wallabies players in history.
Dean Mumm will start at blindside flanker in a reshuffle of the back row, with Lopeti Timani named on an extended bench alongside fellow Melbourne Rebels team-mate Sean McMahon.
Quade Cooper has also been named on the bench after being ruled out prior to kick-off against France last Saturday because of an ankle injury.
The Wallabies are chasing their fourth successive Test victory, in what would be their best winning sequence since notching seven consecutive wins on their run to the 2015 World Cup final.
A victory in Ireland would set Australia up for a first tilt at a Grand Slam of the home nations since 1984, with a tour-ending match against Eddie Jones' England next weekend.
The inclusion of Mumm means Cheika has stacked three locks into his side in a bid to combat Ireland's much-vaunted lineout.
"We want to focus a little bit more on our lineout this week and the threat that Ireland might pose there, they're very good in that area," said Cheika.
"Dean brings a lot of experience and quality in that area."
Australia: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Dane Haylett-Petty, 13 Tevita Kuridrani, 12 Reece Hodge, 11 Henry Speight, 10 Bernard Foley, 9 Will Genia; 1 Scott Sio, 2 Stephen Moore (c), 3 Sekope Kepu, 4 Rory Arnold, 5 Rob Simmons, 6 Dean Mumm, 7 Michael Hooper, 8 David Pocock.
Replacements (one to be omitted): Tolu Latu, James Slipper, Allan Alaalatoa, Kane Douglas, Lopeti Timani, Sean McMahon, Nick Phipps, Quade Cooper, Sefanaia Naivalu.
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