Dave Dennis called into Wallabies starting line-up for clash with Barbarians at Twickenham
From Tom Wald in London, England
AAP
November 26, 2011 6:28AM
Uncapped backrower Dave Dennis has been elevated to Australia's starting line-up for the clash against the Barbarians following the withdrawal of No.8 Ben McCalman.
McCalman, who scored the match-winning try in last month's Rugby World Cup third-place play-off against Wales, pulled out of the Twickenham match with an eye infection.
The 25-year-old Dennis, who played for Australia in midweek matches on the 2009 Spring Tour, enjoyed a strong finish to the Super Rugby season with New South Wales Waratahs.
The match against the Barbarians does not count as a full international but Dennis has the chance to press for a place in next weekend's Test against Wales.
Radike Samo goes onto the bench.
While matches involving the Barbarians are renowned for running rugby, veteran Wallabies lock Nathan Sharpe was looking forward to one last battle with Barbarians skipper and Springboks great Victor Matfield.
Sharpe and Matfield have spent the past decade trying to outwit each other at lineouts and pulverise each other around the ground at international level.
The retiring Matfield, arguably the world's premier lock over the past decade, has rated Sharpe as his toughest rival.
And despite their on-field ferocity, they have become firm friends.
"We started playing against each other in the U/21s in 1997 or 1998," Sharpe said.
"That is giving away my age.
"I have a lot of history with him and I had a yarn to him last night and it is great to be able to play against him in his final match.
"It is not very often in rugby you get a direct match-up with another player but in lineouts you do."
Matfield destroyed Australia's lineout in last month's World Cup quarter-final although the Wallabies still advanced with an 11-9 victory.
The South African said he was keen to catch up with Sharpe.
"It is always nice to have a beer with him as well," Matfield said.
