14 Jul 2009

Australia add muscle to loose foward trio

6:47 pm on 14 July 2009

Australia have added some muscle to its loose forward trio for Saturday's Tri-Nations opener against the All Blacks in Auckland, recalling Wycliff Palu at number eight and shifting Richard Brown to blindside flanker.

Palu missed Australia's first four matches of the international season with a broken hand.

He replaces Western Force loose forward Brown at the base of the scrum, with Brown moving to the blindside in place of Dean Mumm.

The reserves bench is forwards heavy with coach Robbie Deans including two openside flankers in David Pocock and Wallabies veteran Phil Waugh.

The starting lineup is otherwise unchanged from the team that beat France side 22-6 in Sydney last month, although Queensland Reds' halfback Will Genia makes his test debut on the bench.

Despite being able to name a full-strength side, history will be against the Wallabies at Eden Park, where victory has eluded them for more than 20 years.