Wallabies hooker Nathan Charles has "defied science and logic" to be selected to make his Test debut for Australia against France this weekend.

Australia 16 British & Irish Lions 15

Where the key battles will be fought.

Australia have picked James O'Connor at fly-half for Saturday's opening Test against the British and Irish Lions at Suncorp Stadium with Kurtley Beale included on the bench.

Australia have named Tri-Nations winning captain James Horwill as their skipper for the British and Irish Lions Tour.

Code-hopper Israel Folau is one of three new caps in Australia’s preliminary 25-man squad to face the British and Irish Lions, with in-form Reds playmaker Quade Cooper the most notable omission.

England 14 Australia 20

Wingers Drew Mitchell and Lachie Turner have been included in Australia’s training squad as they prepare for the Rugby Championship.

Former France international Sebastien Chabal has confirmed he will move to Australia to play Super Rugby in the coming weeks.

AS a New Zealander, it’s been hard these past 24 hours to concentrate on anything but the tournament-ending injury suffered by Dan Carter at training on Saturday. The photos of him lying on the ground in obvious agony had already warned New Zealanders that the news would not be good.

Australia head coach Robbie Deans was happy with the progress made in the 67-5 win over the United States tonight, but there was also cause for concern as the Wallabies’ injury toll mounted in Wellington.

Australia 67 United States 5

Australia bid to get their World Cup campaign back on course this morning, but anticipate fierce resistance from the United States in the Pool C encounter in Wellington.

Australia hooker Stephen Moore has been confirmed as another late withdrawal from the squad ahead of the clash with Ireland this morning.

Criticism of his tactics, selections, birthplace or any other facet of his behaviour has been wool off a sheep’s back to Australia’s New Zealand-born coach Robbie Deans.

Rocky Elsom has been sensationally dumped as Australia skipper for the World Cup campaign.

Australia selectors have named 12 uncapped players in an extended 40-man training squad ahead of the upcoming spring tour of Hong Kong and Europe.

Australia have suffered yet another injury blow ahead of Saturday's one-off Test against Ireland in Brisbane after veteran lock Nathan Sharpe was ruled out with a back complaint.

Australia coach Robbie Deans has handed debuts to three players for the Test against Fiji on Saturday and the contentious number 10 jersey has gone to Quade Cooper.

AUSTRALIA coach Robbie Deans insists his side have put the shock of their first defeat in 27 years to Scotland behind them as they prepare to take on Wales.

ON his 100th Test appearance it was fitting that Brian O’Driscoll should produce a late, late try under the posts for Ireland to secure a share the honours against Australia at Croke Park yesterday.

Ireland 20 Australia 20

Stephen Ferris has warned Australia he is eager to resume his role as Ireland’s enforcer when their packs clash on Sunday.

Openside David Pocock gets the nod over George Smith as the only change to the Wallabies starting side named today for Sunday’s Test against Ireland at Croke Park.

Australia coach Robbie Deans has made four changes to Australia’s starting side to play Saturday’s historic Bledisloe Cup Test against New Zealand in Japan

Teenager James O’Connor is set to become the second-youngest player ever to pull on an Australia jersey after being named in the squad to tour Europe later this year.

Australia 24 New Zealand 28

Luke Burgess and Peter Hynes will make their Australia Test debuts against Ireland in Melbourne on Saturday after Robbie Deans announced his first team selection as coach.

Robbie Deans has named seven uncapped players in his first Australia squad for the Test against Ireland on June 14.

Australia 49 Fiji 0

Julian Huxley has been named at full-back for Australia in Saturday’s Test against Wales at Telstra Stadium, while George Smith and George Gregan will start on the reserves bench.

The Wallabies will have joint captains during their upcoming nine-match Bundaberg Rum Rugby Series with Phil Waugh and Stirling Mortlock to share leadership duties.

Australia international Lote Tuqiri insists there can be no excuse for a poor autumn Test series in Europe this year.

Stirling Mortlock has been named as Australian rugby’s new captain for Australia’s seven-match tour of Europe in November.

Loose forward Wycliff Palu will make his first start for Australia in Saturday’s Tri-Nations clash with South Africa in Sydney,

Guy Shepherdson has been handed a Test debut by Australia coach John Connolly for the clash against Ireland on Saturday in Perth.

Australia 43 England 18

AUSTRALIA have included nine uncapped players in a new-look 33-man squad.

Australia have named a 33-man squad for the Test against England at the Telstra Stadium in Sydney on June 11.