BRISBANE, Australia (AP) Regular captain Stephen Moore will return to the starting lineup among six changes to Australia's side for Saturday's rugby test against Italy.
Moore has been added to a new-look forward pack, with the ACT Brumbies pair Scott Sio and Rory Arnold joined by Lopeti Timani at No. 8 to make four total changes up-front in the team announced Thursday by coach Michael Cheika.
It follows Australia's 24-19 loss to Scotland last weekend in Sydney after Australia opened its international season on June 10 with a 37-14 win over Fiji in Melbourne.
Rookie prop Tom Robertson, hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau, lock Sam Carter and No. 8 Scott Higginbotham were dumped from the starting side.
Moore will become the 10th most-capped International player when he runs out onto his home ground in Brisbane, surpassing Italian Martin Castrogiovanni and Jason Leonard of England by making his 120th test appearance.
Sefa Naivalu will have a chance to add to his six tests in the backs, while veteran Rob Horne returns to the Wallabies' starting lineup for the first time in 12 months, after last running on for the final test against England on June 25 last year.
Horne, who will join English side Northampton next year in a move that will rule him out of 2019 World Cup contention for Australia, was not in Cheika's initial squad but was called in late as injury cover for Samu Kerevi.
''There's been some tight calls and I suppose that's the signal that the team's looking for players who want to make those spots their own,'' Cheika said. ''There's a bit of giving these guys a chance to compete against each other in the series ... when they perform well, consistently, then they're automatic selections.''
Australia's reserves bench will be announced Friday.
The Wallabies have not lost to Italy in 16 matches. Their last match in Brisbane in 1994 was a close win for the home side - 23-20 at Ballymore.
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Australia: Israel Folau, Dane Haylett-Petty, Rob Horne, Karmichael Hunt, Sefa Naivalu, Bernard Foley, Will Genia, Lopeti Timani, Michael Hooper, Ned Hanigan, Adam Coleman, Rory Arnold, Allan Alaalatoa, Stephen Moore (captain), Scott Sio. Reserves: to be named Friday.
Italy: to be named.
