The return of captain Stirling Mortlock highlights the Qantas Wallabies side that has been named today for Saturday night’s second Bledisloe Cup and Tri-Nations series Test against New Zealand in Auckland.

Mortlock’s reappearance, after he missed last weekend’s 34-19 win over the All Blacks at ANZ Stadium due to injury, is one of two changes to the Australian starting line-up from that occasion.

The other switch is in the back row of the forward pack. There NSW Waratahs skipper Phil Waugh has been named on the blindside flank in the place of his injured state colleague Rocky Elsom.

Elsom has been stood down due to the continued trouble he is experiencing with a strained ligament in his foot. His fitness will be reassessed prior to the Wallabies’ departure for South Africa on Friday August 15.

Western Force centre Ryan Cross, who scored a try while standing in for Mortlock during the opening match of the Bledisloe Cup series, returns to a place among the run on reserves, with Timana Tahu dropping out of the match day squad.

Tahu, who made his Test debut last weekend, will still travel to Auckland as the squad’s 23rd man, when the Wallabies depart Sydney on Thursday.

The Queensland Reds’ Hugh McMeniman will also be on the flight, after playing club rugby in Brisbane last weekend. He takes over from Waugh on the bench.

Squad members not required in New Zealand will again be released for club rugby this weekend.

The Qantas Wallabies head into their first away tie of the Tri-Nations leading the competition point’s table with nine log points, courtesy of their first-up wins over South Africa (16-9) and New Zealand (34-19).

The Auckland match represents the third leg of a demanding three weeks for the Wallabies to open this year’s Tri-Nations.

The squad has a nine-day break once it returns from New Zealand on Sunday, prior to reassembling in preparation for a two-match tour of South Africa.

The Qantas Wallabies team to play New Zealand at Eden Park in Auckland, on Saturday August 2 (7.35pm kick off, local, 5.35pm AEST), is:

15. Adam Ashley-Cooper     (ACT Brumbies)
14. Peter Hynes                      (Queensland Reds)
13. Stirling Mortlock              (ACT Brumbies, captain)
12. Berrick Barnes               (Queensland Reds)
11. Lote Tuqiri                      (NSW Waratahs)
10. Matt Giteau                     (Western Force)
9. Luke Burgess                    (NSW Waratahs)
8. Wycliff Palu                           (NSW Waratahs)
7. George Smith                       (ACT Brumbies)
6. Phil Waugh                           (NSW Waratahs)
5. Nathan Sharpe                  (Western Force)
4. James Horwill                       (Queensland Reds)
3. Al Baxter                            (NSW Waratahs)
2. Stephen Moore                  (Queensland Reds)
1. Benn Robinson                  (NSW Waratahs)

Run on reserves:

16. Tatafu Polota-Nau            (NSW Waratahs)
17. Matt Dunning                   (NSW Waratahs)
18. Daniel Vickerman             (NSW Waratahs)
19. Hugh McMeniman             (Queensland Reds)
20. Sam Cordingley              (Queensland Reds)
21. Ryan Cross                      (Western Force)
22. Drew Mitchell                      (Western Force)

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