Australia make three changes

Australia have made three changes to their starting team for Saturday's Tri-Nations clash against South Africa at the Olympic stadium in Sydney

Stephen Hoiles and Adam Freier replace the injured Wycliff Palu and Stephen Moore while Mark Gerrard is called in for suspended winger Lote Tuqiri in the only changes to the side that beat New Zealand in Melbourne last weekend.

Hoiles was given the nod ahead of David Lyons for the number eight position after Palu was ruled out with a shoulder injury that threatens his place in the World Cup. Lyons was picked on the reserves bench.

Moore was ruled out with a sternum injury, allowing Freier the opportunity to make his first appearance in the starting line-up this season and elevating the Australia A hooker Sean Hardman to the bench.

Tuqiri was handed a two-match ban on Tuesday for missing a training session after a night out drinking. Gerrard took his place on the right wing while Drew Mitchell was added to the substitutes.

Stephen Larkham will earn his 100th cap after being chosen at outhalf, joining George Gregan and David Campese as one of only three Australians to reach the milestone.

Saturday's match will also mark the last occasion Larkham and Gregan will play a Test on home soil; they both plan to retire after the World Cup.

"They are virtually icons of Australian sport," Australia coach John Connolly said in a statement. "We've just been so blessed in this country to have such incredibly consistent players playing in two of our key positions over the past 12-or-so years."

Jannie du Plessis will make his South Africa debut against Australia on Saturday.

The highly rated 24-year-old Cheetahs prop, who is also a doctor in a Bloemfontein hospital, was included in coach Jake White's starting XV after Cobus Visagie suffered an elbow injury during training on Tuesday.

Du Plessis is the only uncapped player in a much-changed line-up from the one that faced New Zealand in Durban last month. Flanker Wikus van Heerden is handed a first Test start since 2003.

AUSTRALIA(v South Africa, Saturday, Sydney): J Huxley; M Gerrard, S Mortlock (capt), M Giteau, A Ashley-Cooper; S Larkham, G Gregan; M Dunning, A Freier, G Shepherson; N Sharpe, D Vickerman; R Elsom, G Smith, S Hoiles. Replacements: S Hardman, A Baxter, H McMeniman, D Lyons, P Waugh, S Staniforth, D Mitchell.

SOUTH AFRICA:B Fortuin; B Paulse, W Murray, W Olivier, JP Pietersen; D Hougaard, R Pienaar; C J van der Linde, G Botha, J Du Plessis; J Ackerman, J Muller; W van Heerden, P Wannenburg, B Skinstad (capt). Replacements: B du Plessis, E Andrews, A van den Berg, J Cronje, M Claassens, P Grant, J Pretorius.