Deans recalls Cooper for Springbok clash

Quade Cooper has returned to the Australia starting line-up for Saturday’s Tri Nations encounter against South Africa in Pretoria in the only change made by coach Robbie Deans.

The Queensland fly-half, the subject of heavy media attention in recent days over his future in rugby union, missed the last two Tests through suspension.

Cooper, who has received a lucrative offer to switch codes, comes in for Anthony Faingaa, with Matt Giteau moving from number 10 to inside centre.

Club team-mate Faingaa instead drops to the bench, where uncapped pair Scott Higginbotham and Ben McCalman are also included.

They replace Matt Hodgson, who is injured and Rob Simmons.

Australia team to play South Africa in Pretoria in the Tri Nations series on Saturday, August 28:

K Beale (NSW Waratahs); J O’Connor (Western Force), A Ashley-Cooper (Brumbies), M Giteau (Brumbies), D Mitchell (NSW Waratahs); Q Cooper (Queensland Reds), W Genia (Queensland Reds); B Robinson (NSW Waratahs), S Faingaa (Queensland Reds), S Ma’afu (Brumbies), D Mumm (NSW Waratahs), N Sharpe (Western Force), R Elsom (Brumbies), D Pocock (Western Force), R Brown (Western Force).

Replacements: S Moore (Brumbies), J Slipper (Queensland Reds), B McCalman (Western Force), S Higginbotham (Queensland Reds), L Burgess (NSW Waratahs), B Barnes (NSW Waratahs), A Faingaa (Queensland Reds).