Giteau set to play at scrumhalf

SYDNEY – Matt Giteau is set to play scrumhalf and Julian Huxley at fullback in the Australia team to face Wales in the first test in Sydney on Saturday.

Winger Digby Ioane is poised to make his international debut and prop Matt Dunning to earn a recall after 18 months in the international wilderness when coach John Connolly names his team on Wednesday. “It’s time to focus on ourselves,” Connolly told reporters on Tuesday.”We’ve had a good preparation and it’s time to start stepping it up.We’re very comfortable we’re heading in the right direction.”There’s no doubt the forwards are looking pretty settled.We’re still searching for a bit of depth in a couple of areas in the backs.Hopefully, those things will sort themselves out over the next three or four weeks.”We’ve gone through a bit of a transition in Australian rugby in the last couple of years – coming back from the bad run of losing eight out of the nine games (in 2005) and we think we’re on the right road now.”Wycliff Palu looks likely to be preferred to David Lyons at No.8 and Stephen Moore should claim the hooker’s spot ahead of Adam Freier, with Adam Ashley-Cooper and co-captain Stirling Mortlock forming a new-look centre pairing.Connolly’s major concern is over the fitness of flanker Phil Waugh, with George Smith standing by to replace the other co-captain if he fails to shake off an ankle injury.Former skipper George Gregan should start on the replacements’ bench as cover for Giteau.Australia play two home tests against Wales and another against Fiji before this year’s Tri-Nations.The World Cup starts in September.Nampa-Reuters”It’s time to focus on ourselves,” Connolly told reporters on Tuesday.”We’ve had a good preparation and it’s time to start stepping it up.We’re very comfortable we’re heading in the right direction.”There’s no doubt the forwards are looking pretty settled.We’re still searching for a bit of depth in a couple of areas in the backs.Hopefully, those things will sort themselves out over the next three or four weeks.”We’ve gone through a bit of a transition in Australian rugby in the last couple of years – coming back from the bad run of losing eight out of the nine games (in 2005) and we think we’re on the right road now.”Wycliff Palu looks likely to be preferred to David Lyons at No.8 and Stephen Moore should claim the hooker’s spot ahead of Adam Freier, with Adam Ashley-Cooper and co-captain Stirling Mortlock forming a new-look centre pairing.Connolly’s major concern is over the fitness of flanker Phil Waugh, with George Smith standing by to replace the other co-captain if he fails to shake off an ankle injury.Former skipper George Gregan should start on the replacements’ bench as cover for Giteau.Australia play two home tests against Wales and another against Fiji before this year’s Tri-Nations.The World Cup starts in September.Nampa-Reuters