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Rugby Union

Latham on bench as Ashley-Cooper starts

17/07/2007

The return to fitness of experienced full-back Chris Latham has not come quickly enough for this Saturday's Tri-Nations decider against New Zealand, as he was named on the bench.

ACT Brumbies back Adam Ashley-Cooper has been given the nod over Latham, who had hoped to recover from knee surgery in time to start for the Wallabies.

But concerns ahead of this autumn's World Cup have ensured the selectors erred on the side of caution and named 72-cap veteran Latham among the replacements.

Saturday's fixture in Auckland will be the deciding game in the Bledisloe Cup and the Tri-Nations tournament, with both teams tied on nine points each at the top of the table.

The last match between the two great rivals ended in a surprise 20-15 victory for Australia in Melbourne, despite the home side finding themselves 15-6 down at half-time.

Ashley-Cooper scored Australia's first try in the second half before replacement Scott Staniforth crossed the line inside the final ten minutes to secure a famous victory – Australia's first over the all-conquering All Blacks since 2004.

That result has also opened the book slightly on the other major contenders at the upcoming World Cup, as world number one side New Zealand had looked a virtual certainty to take the title at a canter before their defeat.

Saturday's fixture has seen three changes for the home side, with Byron Kelleher, Jerry Collins and Anton Oliver all returning to the starting XV in place of Piri Weepu, Reuben Thorne and Keven Mealamu.

Kelleher starts at scrum-half, Collins joins the back-row on the blind side and Oliver comes in at hooker.

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