20 Jul 2011

Giteau out for Wallabies Tri Nations opener

1:20 pm on 20 July 2011

Australia's rugby coach Robbie Deans has dropped the veteran midfielder Matt Giteau for the Wallabies opening Tri-Nations Test against South Africa in Sydney on Saturday night.

Deans has made seven changes following Samoa's shock win in Brisbane and Giteau doesn't even make the reserves.

The Brumbies utility Pat McCabe will start at second-five again and Queensland's Anthony Fainga'a is on the bench.

The Reds locks James Horwill and Rob Simmons will start, relegating Nathan Sharpe to the bench, while key backs Kurtley Beale, James O'Connor, Quade Cooper and Will Genia return with loose forward David Pocock.

Deans brought forward the team naming by two days, saying his players have had a massive wake up call and know they must lift considerably.

The rest of the team is: Adam Ashley-Cooper, Digby Ioane, Ben McCalman, Rocky Elsom (captain), Ben Alexander, Stephen Moore, Sekope Kepu.

Reserves: Saia Fainga'a, Pekahou Cowan, Matt Hodgson, Scott Higginbotham, Nick Phipps.