Elsom passed fit, Springboks drop Steyn

Tri-Nations team news : Rocky Elsom and James O'Connor both passed fitness tests to be included in a reshuffled Australia team…

Tri-Nations team news: Rocky Elsom and James O'Connor both passed fitness tests to be included in a reshuffled Australia team to play South Africa in the Tri-Nations at Perth on Saturday.

Teenage O'Connor was named to start at fullback on Thursday after overcoming a leg injury, while Elsom was cleared to start at blindside flanker after recovering from an ankle problem.

Their availability was welcome news for a Wallabies team that has suffered a heavy casualty toll and is yet to win a match in this season's series.

Regular captain Stirling Mortlock will miss the rest of the tournament, while lock Nathan Sharpe and inside centre Berrick Barnes were both ruled out of Saturday's match after picking up injuries in last weekend's narrow loss to New Zealand.

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Ryan Cross comes into the side for Barnes but will start at outside centre to allow the versatile Adam Ashley-Cooper to play inside, while Mark Chisholm replaces Sharpe at lock after recovering from a dislocated wrist.

The Australian selectors also made two unforced changes from last weekend's starting side, with Peter Hynes named on the wing ahead of Drew Mitchell and prop Ben Alexander selected at tighthead instead of Al Baxter.

World champions South Africa have recalled Ruan Pienaar to their starting side.

Pienaar, better known as a scrumhalf or outhalf, was surprisingly named at fullback ahead of his Sharks team mate Frans Steyn, who announced earlier this year he had signed a deal to move to French club Racing Metro.

Steyn, who became the youngest player to win a World Cup when he helped the Springboks to victory in 2007 aged 20, was relegated to the bench.

He joined flanker Schalk Burger, making his comeback from a ban for eye-gouging Luke Fitzgerald against the British and Irish Lions in June, on the reserves.

Burger replaced Danie Rossouw, who is nursing a slight hamstring strain, in a Springboks squad unbeaten in this year's Tri-Nations.

Australia: James O'Connor, Lachie Turner, Ryan Cross, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Peter Hynes: Matt Giteau, Luke Burgess; Benn Robinson, Stephen Moore, Ben Alexander; James Horwill, Mark Chisholm; Rocky Elsom, George Smith, Richard Brow. Replacements: Tatafu Polota-Nau, Al Baxter, Dean Mumm, David Pocock, Will Genia, Quade Cooper, Drew Mitchell.

South Africa: Ruan Pienaar, JP Pietersen, Jaque Fourie, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana; Morne Steyn, Fourie du Preez; Tendai Mtawarira, Bismarck du Plessis, John Smit; Bakkies Botha, Victor Matfield; Heinrich Brussow, Juan Smith, Pierre Spies. Replacements: Chiliboy Ralepelle, Jannie du Plessis, Andries Bekker, Schalk Burger, Ricky Januarie, Adi Jacobs, Frans Steyn.