Burke gets recall for Wallabies WC opener

Veteran utility back Matt Burke has been included in the Australia squad to play Argentina in Friday's Rugby World Cup curtain…

Veteran utility back Matt Burke has been included in the Australia squad to play Argentina in Friday's Rugby World Cup curtain-raiser after Stirling Mortlock was ruled out with gastroenteritis.

Burke will play at outside centre and is one of five changes made by Wallabies coach Eddie Jones to the side that surrendered the Bledisloe Cup to New Zealand in August.

Prop Alastair Baxter will make his first start in a Wallaby jersey, number eight David Lyons is the replacement for the injured Toutai Kefu, and Nathan Sharpe got the nod ahead of Daniel Vickerman in the second row.

Winger Joe Roff is back from injury, while Mat Rogers has been switched from outside centre to fullback.

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The move would originally have been intended to open up room for Mortlock, who had recovered from the shoulder surgery that ruled him out of the Wallabies' June Tests and the Tri-Nations.

But after spending two days in bed, quarantined from the rest of the squad, the Mortlock failed to meet last night's fitness deadline.

World Cup winner Matt Cockbain returns to the bench for the first time since the November tour last year.

Squad:M Rogers; W Sailor, M Burke, E Flatley, J Roff; S Larkham, G Gregan (captain); B Young, B Cannon, A Baxter, D Giffin, N Sharpe, G Smith, P Waugh, D Lyons.

Replacements:J Paul, B Darwin, D Vickerman, M Cockbain, C Whitaker, M Giteau, L Tuqiri.