Rugby: Smith feels Deans' axe

Wallabies loose forward George Smith has been dropped to the bench for Saturday’s test against the All Blacks. Photo / Getty Images

TOKYO - Wallabies rugby coach Robbie Deans again cast aside reputation, with veteran loose forward George Smith feeling the selection axe as they desperately try to match the All Blacks' superior physicality on Saturday.

Smith's benching today was one of four personnel changes from the starting 15 who received a 6-33 hiding from the All Blacks in Wellington last month.

Injury-troubled No 8 Wycliff Palu takes over from Smith, with young David Pocock retaining the openside flanker's spot, while wingers Peter Hynes and Digby Ioane replace Drew Mitchell and Lachie Turner, and Ryan Cross returns to centre due to Stirling Mortlock's calf muscle tear.

Teenage utility James O'Connor was benched to allow for Cross' return, as Adam Ashley-Cooper returns to fullback.

Smith's slide down the pecking order was the most notable, with the 105-test veteran having led the Wallabies in Wellington.

"We've been preparing for a number of weeks now and had a lot of discussions along the way. He was aware of what we were contemplating," Deans said.

"He's a great man, he loves playing for the Wallabies and to help in any way he can. He has a really important role to play. He took (the news) very well, he's a class act. " Smith joins Phil Waugh and Al Baxter - both cut from the tour squad altogether - as senior figures to slip down the pecking order under Deans this year.

Clearly a reshuffle was needed as the Wallabies eye a seventh straight defeat to the All Blacks at the National Stadium in Tokyo.

New captain Rocky Elsom bluntly said missed scoring opportunities and an inferior effort at the breakdown were the clear must-improve areas.

Zimbabwe born-and-raised Pocock will start his third consecutive test, with forwards coach Jim Williams rating him on a par with Springboks' scavenger Heinrich Brossouw who caused the All Blacks headaches this year.

"Certainly his abilities around the ball and over the ball are similar to what Brossouw is like. His physicality, his ability to get to the breakdown quickly and assert himself there and do it repeatedly is something he showed during Super 14 and in his minimal time at test level."

Elsom, the Wallabies' 76th test skipper, was seen as the long-term option as captain, Deans said, with Berrick Barnes stepping in as his backup.

First five-eighth Matt Giteau and Barnes retained their respective 10 and 12 jerseys, but would likely interchange positions with Barnes looked at to provide some playmaking spark.

"You've seen both players in both roles all year and you will see more of that on the weekend. There's nothing new in that."

Deans said Hynes and Ioane were both "more confrontational" than the men they replaced as the Wallabies seek more scoring power out wide.

The All Blacks have kept them tryless for over 200 minutes, taking in the second half in Auckland and subsequent tests in Sydney and Wellington.

Ioane and bench prop Matt Dunning haven't featured for Australia since last year's spring tour of Europe.

Wallabies
Adam Ashley-Cooper, Peter Hynes, Ryan Cross, Berrick Barnes, Digby Ioane, Matt Giteau, Will Genia; Wycliff Palu, David Pocock, Rocky Elsom (captain), Mark Chisholm, James Horwill, Ben Alexander, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Benn Robinson.

Reserves: Stephen Moore, Matt Dunning, Dean Mumm, George Smith, Luke Burgess, Drew Mitchell, James O'Connor.

- NZPA