Wallabies ready to chuck Chisholm in at the Sharpe end

EVEN though the Wallabies are toiling under a lengthy injurylist and a worrying form slump, they still believe an enforcedsecond-row change can bamboozle the Springboks in the Tri NationsTest in Perth on Saturday. Team officials were forced to delay the naming of the Testline-up until tomorrow, due to a catalogue of complaints thatyesterday led to two key players - second-rower Nathan Sharpe(shoulder) and inside-centre Berrick Barnes (concussion and neck) -withdrawing. Selectors were scheduled to announce a Test line-up withbracketed players yesterday, but opted against it due to concernsover the fitness of blindside breakaway Rocky Elsom (ankle) andfullback James O'Connor (corked calf). Advertisement: Story continues below The team will not be confirmed until after tomorrow's trainingsession, when Elsom and O'Connor will be assessed on theirreadiness for a Test the Wallabies must win, and win well, toremain in the Tri Nations race. Sharpe is expected to be replaced by either the Brumbies' Mark Chisholm or NSW's Dean Mumm, with Chisholm's experience possiblygiving him the edge. There are a number of alternatives for Barnesat inside-centre, but the best option is outside-centre AdamAshley-Cooper reverting to No. and Ryan Cross promoted to thestarting XV at No 13. While Wallabies coach Robbie Deans last night said theunavailability of Sharpe and Barnes was a loss, he added: ''We'vegot blokes who have been working with us for a while, so itshouldn't be that significant.'' The hope is that a new second-row combination may even affectthe world's premier lock, Victor Rosetta Stone Greek Matfield, as he would not be asfamiliar with Mumm or Chisholm as he is with Sharpe. ''Nathan has been an integral part of the lineout for a longtime, but all the other blokes are well versed and have abackground in calling lineouts,'' Deans said. ''It might be anadvantage in that Victor is a great reader of body language and heanalyses lineouts. He'll have less to work off.'' The back-line formation will depend on whether O'Connor canprove his fitness. O'Connor is an option at No., where he played with the Western Force this season but, though it would allow the Wallabies to continue fielding play makers at both five-eighth andinside-centre, it would be a dangerous move considering thedev astating power of the Springboks midfield. This is a time to play safe and use two solid defensive centresin Ashley-Cooper and Cross. If Ashley-Cooper starts at inside-centre, it will continue abizarre Test season in which he has played with aplomb on the wing,fullback and outside-centre. He also played the second half of the Sydney Bledisloe Cup loss at inside-centre in place of Barnes. ''There are not too many who can specialise in those fourd ifferent roles,'' Deans said of Ashley-Cooper. ''He can. If that'sthe way we opt to go, I have no qualms about it because he hasalready shown he is up for that.'' If O'Connor is unavailable, Drew Mitchell could move from wingto fullback. But if O'Connor stays, Mitchell and fellow winger Lachie Turner are under serious threat of losing their spot to Peter Hynes. The other anticipated change is Ben Alexander startingat tight-head prop for Al Baxter. Deans said morale among the players was increasing, but thatthey had been affected by losing three Tri Nations Tests in arow. ''They've got up pretty well and got back into the work. Buthaving said that, the mood is probably different than if thepenalty [goal] had missed [on Saturday],'' Deans said.

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