McKenzie eyes Beale to crack mighty All Blacks

Coach Ewen McKenzie knows Australia must take risks if they are to end New Zealand’s 17-game winning streak on Saturday, and hopes the surprise selection of Kurtley Beale at fly-half will provide the spark in their Rugby Championship clash in Sydney.

McKenzie opted for the mercurial Beale in the pivotal fly-half role instead of the more solid Bernard Foley on the basis of Beale’s form towards the end of the Super Rugby competition and his test experience in the position.

Beale had played the entire Super Rugby season at inside centre for the champions New South Wales Waratahs and appeared to have found his most effective position in the backline after tests at full-back, wing and fly-half. Foley impressed at fly-half for the Wallabies against France in June but McKenzie said the All Blacks represented a different test.

“I know he’s quite capable of playing that position,” McKenzie said of his decision to give Beale the number 10 jersey. “He’s played 40-plus tests, but he’s played a whole bunch of those in the 10 position. We recognise that playing France in June is different to playing the All Blacks in August. Against the All Blacks, you’ve got to go out there and have a crack ... we need to take a few risks.”

As part of a backline shakeup, McKenzie also moved Adam Ashley-Cooper to centre, benching Tevita Kuridrani, with Pat McCabe replacing Ashley-Cooper’s on the right wing.

Rob Horne has come onto the left wing for Nick Cummins, who was released from his Australian Rugby Union contract to pursue a more lucrative option in Japan.

In the pack, rookie hooker Nathan Charles starts.

AUSTRALIA (v New Zealand): I Folau (Waratahs); P McCabe (Brumbies), A Ashley-Cooper (Waratahs), M Toomua (Brumbies), R Horne (Waratahs), K Beale (Waratahs), N White (Brumbies); J Slipper (Reds), N Charles (Western Force), S Kepu (Waratahs), R Simmons (Reds), S Carter (Brumbies), S Fardy (Brumbies), M Hooper (Waratahs), W Palu (Waratahs).

Replacements: J Hanson (Reds), P Cowan (Western Force), B Alexander (Brumbies), W Skelton (Waratahs), B McCalman (Western Force), S Higginbotham (Melbourne Rebels), N Phipps (Waratahs), B Foley (Waratahs) T Kuridrani (Brumbies).