Larkham, Tune back into Wallaby squad

SYDNEY - Playmaker Stephen Larkham and wing Ben Tune returned to Australia's squad yesterday for the Tri-Nations test against the All Blacks in Dunedin on Saturday week.

Larkham has been absent since he damaged a nerve in his arm in the second match against the Lions on July 7.

The talented first five-eighths missed the Wallabies' historic victory in the third and deciding Lions test on July 14 and Australia's disappointing 15-20 defeat by South Africa in their opening Tri-Nations match in Pretoria last Sunday.

Larkham said he was confident he would be fit for the match against the All Blacks.

Tune missed the Lions series after damaging his shoulder in the closing stages of the Super 12 series. He returned to club rugby for Queensland last weekend.

Lock David Giffin has been retained in the 30-man squad, despite being suspended for three weeks after being found guilty of striking opponent Robbie Fleck with his forearm in Pretoria.

But the selectors have recalled Brumbies lock Justin Harrison, who made an eye-catching debut when called on to replace the injured Giffin in the third Lions test, but was dropped from the squad for the encounter with the Springboks.

Utility back James Holbeck also returns after a hamstring strain.

The squad will assemble at the Wallabies training base in Coffs Harbour on Saturday.

The Wallabies have lost all 12 tests against the All Blacks in Dunedin.

"Dunedin is not a happy hunting ground for us, but I don't think history is particularly relevant," Wallabies captain John Eales said.

Coach Eddie Jones is keen to ensure his team do not find fault with English referee Steve Lander as they did last weekend when Irish official David McHugh baffled them with decisions at the breakdown.

Jones said Northern Hemisphere officials tended to referee the attacking players arriving at the breakdown rather than the defenders, which was in direct contrast to the style of their Southern Hemisphere counterparts.

"What we need to do, particularly with a Northern Hemisphere referee for the next game, is to look at that situation and see how we can best play the tackle under those circumstances," Jones said.

He felt it was important there was consistency, especially in the contentious tackle area.

"We had 11 penalties against us, of which 45 per cent came when we were in possession of the ball, and that's a double penalty against you," Jones said.

Eales admitted he was frustrated by McHugh's rulings.

"There were certainly a lot of decisions we weren't sure about that went both ways. I don't think they all went against us," Eales said.

He said the main area Australia needed to improve on was maintaining possession and building momentum for longer periods.

Jones denied the assertion of his South African counterpart, Harry Viljoen, that the Wallabies underestimated the Springboks.

"Everything we said publicly and privately before the match was that we knew this was going to be a tough game and we knew South Africa were in a situation where they had to win."

Backs: Matthew Burke, Chris Latham, Andrew Walker, Daniel Herbert, Graeme Bond, Nathan Grey, James Holbeck, Joe Roff, Ben Tune, Manny Edmonds, Elton Flatley, Stephen Larkham, George Gregan, Chris Whitaker.

Forwards: Toutai Kefu, David Lyons, Phil Waugh, George Smith, Matt Cockbain, Owen Finegan, Mark Connors, Justin Harrison, John Eales (capt), David Giffin, Ben Darwin, Rod Moore, Nick Stiles, Bill Young, Michael Foley, Brendan Cannon.

- AGENCIES