Rugby World Cup: Beale named in Wallabies side but still in doubt

Kurtley Beale. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Injured fullback Kurtley Beale was included in Australia's starting lineup even though he's still in doubt for Sunday's World Cup semifinal against New Zealand.

Beale was bracketed with Adam Ashley-Cooper at fullback in the team announced on Friday. Anthony Fainga'a was also on standby to play centre if Beale was ruled out and Ashley-Cooper has to switch to fullback.

Beale strained his hamstring in the 11-9 quarterfinal win over South Africa last Sunday.

Coach Robbie Deans will make a decision at the captain's run on Saturday on Beale's fitness.

He has been undergoing intensive rehabilitation, and his teammates have said all week that starting without him on Eden Park would be a severe blow.

In the only other change to the squad, lock Rob Simmons has been promoted to the reserves bench at the expense of 99-test veteran Nathan Sharpe.

Deans said the selection of Simmons was a "horses for courses'' approach and would give Australia a more abrassive edge against the All Blacks pack.

Pat McCabe, who recovered from a shoulder injury to start in the quarterfinal, again has overcome a shoulder problem to take his place at second-five.

Prop Sekope Kepu recovered from rolling his ankle and was retained in an unchanged starting forward pack.

Australia edged New Zealand in the semifinals en route to its first World Cup title in 1991 and, after winning the World Cup again in 1999, beat the All Blacks in the 2003 semifinals before losing in extra time to England.

Australia heads into the match as the Tri-Nations champion, beating New Zealand in the series-deciding match in Brisbane in August, but hasn't won a match at Eden Park since 1986.

Wallabies:
15 Kurtley Beale (or Adam Ashley-Cooper), 14 James O'Connor, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper (or Anthony Fainga'a), 12 Pat McCabe, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia; 8 Radike Samo, 7 David Pocock, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 James Horwill (captain), 4 Dan Vickerman, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Sekope Kepu. Reserves: 16 Tatafu Polota Nau, 17 James Slipper, 18 Rob Simmons, 19 Ben McCalman, 20 Luke Burgess, 21 Berrick Barnes, 22 Anthony Fainga'a (or Rob Horne).

- AP