Cooper starts for Wallabies against All Blacks

Australia head coach Michael Cheika has named Quade Cooper in his starting Wallabies team to play New Zealand’s All Blacks in the Bledisloe Cup Rugby Championship in Wellington

Cheika has named Cooper to start at flyhalf in his 59th Test and a new centre pairing with Bernard Foley shifting to inside centre and Samu Kerevi at outside centre.

Kerevi will be making his first appearance since the second Test against England in June while Cooper makes his first appearance since the Wallabies’ 65-3 win over Uruguay at 2015 Rugby World Cup,

Western Force lock Adam Coleman has earned his first start for the Wallabies after making his debut off the bench in the third Test against England in June.

Brumbies flanker Scott Fardy has also earned a re-call to the starting side while Will Skelton will make his return via the bench after sitting out the opening Bledisloe encounter last weekend.

Melbourne Rebels utility Reece Hodge is in line to make his debut and become the 897th player to represent the Wallabies, after being named on the bench alongside Tevita Kuridrani and Nick Phipps.

The Bookmakers have Australia at 13.00 to win the Rugby Championship.

Australia

1. Scott Sio,2. Stephen Moore (c),3. Sekope Kepu,4. Kane Douglas,5. Adam Coleman,6. Scott Fardy,7. Michael Hooper ,8. David Pocock ,9. Will Genia ,10. Quade Cooper,11. Dane Haylett-Petty ,12. Bernard Foley,13. Samu Kerevi ,14. Adam Ashley-Cooper ,15. Israel Folau ,

Replacements :16. Tatafu Polota-Nau,17. James Slipper,18. Allan Ala’alatoa ,19. Will Skelton,20. Dean Mumm ,21. Nick Phipps ,22. Tevita Kuridrani ,23. Reece Hodge*

*denotes uncapped