(Refiles to clarify Deans as Australia coach in 2nd para, no
other changes to text)
* Sharpe third captain this test season
* Beale dropped to bench for second time
Sept 11 (Reuters) - Veteran lock Nathan Sharpe has been
named to lead Australia against Argentina in their Rugby
Championship clash on Saturday, after the Wallabies' 'captain's
curse' struck a third time this season with stand-in skipper
Will Genia ruled out with injury.
Sharpe had planned to retire after the Super Rugby season
but was persuaded by Wallabies coach Robbie Deans to play on in
the southern hemisphere tournament.
He now founds himself captaining Australia for a third time
in his 109th test after previously leading the side against New
Zealand in 2004 and Samoa the following year.
Sharpe takes the reins from scrumhalf Genia who ruptured a
knee ligament in the Wallabies' 26-19 win over South Africa in
Perth on Saturday and has been ruled out for the season.
Genia had taken the captaincy from flanker David Pocock, who
also suffered a season-ending knee injury against New Zealand in
their first match of the championship.
Pocock had in turn taken it from regular captain James
Horwill, who was ruled out of the test season when he sustained
a serious hamstring injury during the Super Rugby competition.
"To have the privilege of leading Australia in the first
ever test to be played on the Gold Coast is an experience I will
always treasure," Sharpe said in a statement.
"It's important we keep our focus as a team, build on what
we achieved last weekend in Perth, and add to that momentum.
"No one else in the squad has played Argentina before but I
have and they will be tough, incredibly passionate and
uncompromising.
"You only have to look at what they have achieved to date in
their tournament matches to see what a threat they will be."
After being belted by South Africa 27-6 in their tournament
debut in Cape Town, Argentina held the Springboks to a 16-16
draw at home and impressed the All Blacks with their resolve in
a fighting 21-5 loss in Wellington.
Deans has had to reshuffle his team constantly this season
due to injuries and he sprung a surprise by shifting inside back
Berrick Barnes to fullback in place of Kurtley Beale, who was
dropped to the bench.
Barnes started the test season against Scotland at flyhalf
and has played inside centre against the All Blacks and
Springboks, but has never played fullback at international
level.
New Zealander Deans said Barnes's goalkicking this season
had earned him the start.
"Berrick has good grounding at the back while his ability to
take just about every point-scoring opportunity on offer was
highlighted once again last weekend," Deans added.
"His presence provides good balance to the backline, while
giving us the opportunity to throw Kurtley in where he will be
at his most dangerous, against a tiring defensive line as the
game opens up and he can get out there with a license to play."
Beale, widely considered one of the best attacking players
in world rugby, has suffered a crisis of confidence during the
Rugby Championship, with Deans now dropping him twice from the
starting side.
The return from injury of inside centre Pat McCabe, whose
hard-running style is preferred in the position by Deans, may
have also played a part in the backline reshuffle.
Nick Phipps takes over from Genia at scrumhalf, while lock
Kane Douglas makes his test debut in place of Sitaleki Timani,
who suffered a hamstring injury against the Springboks.
Stephen Moore, a late withdrawal from the starting side
against the Springboks, has been bracketed with Saia Fainga'a on
the replacements' bench and could earn his Australian record
73rd cap for a hooker if he is passed fit from his hamstring
injury.
Australia team: 15-Berrick Barnes, 14-Dom Shipperley,
13-Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12-Pat McCabe, 11-Digby Ioane, 10-Quade
Cooper, 9-Nick Phipps, 8-Radike Samo, 7-Michael Hooper, 6-Dave
Dennis, 5-Nathan Sharpe (captain), 4-Kane Douglas, 3-Ben
Alexander, 2-Tatafu Polota Nau, 1-Benn Robinson
Replacements: 16-Stephen Moore/Saia Fainga'a, 17-James
Slipper, 18-Scott Higginbotham, 19-Liam Gill, 20-Brett Sheehan,
21-Anthony Fainga'a, 22-Kurtley Beale
(Reporting by Greg Stutchbury in Wellington; Editing by Ian
Ransom)