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WORLD SPORT

Wallabies and Boks reshuffle teams

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Wallabies prop Al Baxter (left) has been demoted to the bench for Saturday

CAPE TOWN, South Africa -- Australia coach Eddie Jones has made four changes tp his side for the opening Tri-nations match against South Africa in Pretoria on Saturday.

Prop Matt Dunning, lock Dan Vickerman, back rower John Roe and center Morgan Turinui were promoted from the bench after Saturday's 33-20 defeat in a Mandela Challenge match.

South African coach Jake White has also made changes.

He brings in No. 8 Jacques Cronje and shifts Joe van Niekerk to openside flanker.

Solly Tyibilika makes way from the back row that beat the Wallabies.

In other changes, Fourie du Preez replaces Enrico Januarie at scrumhalf, and C.J. van der Linde comes in for Eddie Andrews at tighthead prop.

Last year's IRB international player of the year Schalk Burger is also kept on the bench by White in a disciplinary measure after he was yellow carded shortly after coming on in the victory.

Deficiencies exposed

Australia were reacting to a disappointing defeat at Ellis Park which coach Jones said revealed deficiencies in their performance.

Al Baxter, Mark Chisholm and Stirling Mortlock drop to the bench while flanker Rocky Elsom is left out of the 22-man squad altogether.

"A couple of the forwards are a little bit fatigued," said Jones. "Rocky Elsom and Marck Chisholm are in their first full seasons of Test rugby and we feel they are just coming off their game a little bit.

"Matt (Dunning) did very well when he came on last week and Morgan and Stirling have had an in-and-out battle for the number 13 spot all season.

"We believe Morgan's running troubles the South African defence but Stirling Mortlock will finish the game."

Jones said the fall-out from the Matt Henjak affair had been a distraction but his side had prepared well.

Scrumhalf Henjak was sent home and fined A$500 (US$385) for breaching team rules. Wingers Lote Tuqiri, Wendell Sailor and Dunning were also disciplined after an incident in a bar.

Reuters contributed to this report.

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