FORMER NEW Zealand rugby league international Shontayne Hape will make his international rugby union debut for England against Australia in Perth tomorrow.
Hape was named at inside centre by England coach Martin Johnson and will become the third former New Zealand rugby league international to play for England, following Henry Paul and Lesley Vainikolo.
“I have been very impressed with him,” Johnson said of the 29-year-old. “He’s a very smart carrier with the ball in hand. He’s one of those guys that seems to have a bit more time than most, he’s very composed.”
Australia will unleash James O’Connor on England for the second time in a week after the teenage fullback sensation was named in their team for Saturday’s first Test.
The 19-year-old scored a blistering hat-trick for the Australian Barbarians in Tuesday’s 28-28 draw with England to force his way into the Test line-up ahead of Kurtley Beale. “The quality shown by James was simply impossible to ignore,” said Wallabies head coach Robbie Deans.
AUSTRALIA: J O’Connor; D Ione , R Horne , M Giteau, D Mitchell; Q Cooper, L Burgess; B Daley, S Faingaa, S Ma’afu, D Mumm, N Sharpe, R Elsom (capt), D Pocock, R Brown. Reps: H Edmonds, J Slipper, M Chisholm, M Hodgson, W Genia, B Barnes , K Beale.
ENGLAND: B Foden; M Cueto, M Tindall, S Hape, C Ashton; T Flood, D Care; T Payne, S Thompson, D Cole, S Shaw, T Palmer, T Croft, L Moody (capt), N Easter. Reps: G Chuter, D Wilson, C Lawes, J Haskell, B Youngs, J Wilkinson, M Tait.
