Australia have been forced to make a late change to their starting line-up for Saturday’s Lansdowne Cup encounter with Ireland in Brisbane, with lock Nathan Sharpe ruled out by a back injury.
Nathan Sharpe, the Western Force skipper, was withdrawn from the team on Thursday due to a back complaint.
He suffered a twinge in his lower back during Tuesday’s training session. The injury has not responded to treatment in the time since, forcing the 82-times capped veteran to pull out of the Wallabies side.
His place in the starting line-up will be taken by Brumbies second row Mark Chisholm, with Mitchell Chapman promoted to the replacements bench.
The uncapped Chapman, who started off his Super Rugby career in Brisbane with the Queensland Reds in 2005 before switching to the Brumbies three seasons later, featured in the second row for the Australian Barbarians in both of their recent tour matches against England.
AUSTRALIA TEAM & REPLACEMENTS (v Ireland, Lansdowne Cup Match, Suncorp Stadium, Saturday, June 26, kick-off 8.05pm local time/11.05am Irish time):
15 – James O’Connor (Western Force)
14 – Drew Mitchell (NSW Waratahs)
13 – Rob Horne (NSW Waratahs)
12 – Matt Giteau (Brumbies)
11 – Adam Ashley-Cooper (Brumbies)
10 – Quade Cooper (Queensland Reds)
9 – Luke Burgess (NSW Waratahs)
1 – Ben Daley (Queensland Reds)
2 – Saia Faingaa (Queensland Reds)
3 – Salesi Ma’afu (Brumbies)
4 – Dean Mumm (NSW Waratahs)
5 – Mark Chisolm (Brumbies)
6 – Rocky Elsom (Brumbies) (capt)
7 – David Pocock (Western Force)
8 – Richard Brown (Western Force)
Replacements:
16 – Huia Edmonds (Brumbies)
17 – James Slipper (Queensland Reds)
18 – Mitchell Chapman (Brumbies)
19 – Matt Hodgson (Western Force)
20 – Josh Valentine (Brumbies)
21 – Berrick Barnes (NSW Waratahs)
22 – Kurtley Beale (NSW Waratahs)
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