Matt Giteau has been dropped for the Tri-Nations series opener against South Africa

Matt Giteau has been dropped for the Tri-Nations series opener against South Africa, casting doubt on his World Cup role after Australia's shocking loss last weekend to Samoa.

Deans rested most of the Super 15-winning Queensland Reds last week but it backfired spectacularly, with a committed Samoan squad scoring four tries against two in a 32-23 victory at Sydney's Olympic Stadium.

As expected Reds halves Will Genia and Quade Cooper return to the starting lineup to play South Africa but Pat McCabe retained his spot at inside center at the expense of Giteau, who scored 18 points when he filled in at flyhalf against Samoa and had been expected to move back into midfield.

The 28-year-old Giteau has been a pivotal member of the Wallabies backline and has played 92 tests since his debut in 2002.

Giteau ended his last season on the bench against France, with Deans favoring Cooper at flyhalf beside Berrick Barnes, who has sidelined himself indefinitely after a series of head knocks.

With two-test player McCabe preferred at 12 this time, Giteau appears to be slipping down the pecking order of centers as Deans opts for a bigger midfield to offset his relatively small Wallabies backline.

"Gits is part of the squad so he has a big role to play. We prepare as one and next week is another week," Deans replied to questions about Giteau's future. "We're presuming nothing going forward. Matt will obviously want a role going forward. He has a role going forward. We don't know exactly what that will entail as yet in terms of playing, that will unfold."

In other changes, James O'Connor and flanker David Pocock return from injuries to take on the Springboks, Queensland locks James Horwill and Robb Simmons were added to bolster Australia's second row and fullback Kurtley Beale and Genia were reinstated after starting on the bench last week.

"Last Sunday was a massive wake up call for the group. We can't turn back the clock on that performance, it will stay with us as a reminder, but we do have total control as to how we respond," Deans said. "Our standards were inadequate for what is required at test level and we paid the price.

"There are no short cuts in test rugby. There is no substitute for rolling up the sleeves and doing the little tasks that, while they might not carry the glamour, are critical for the overall success of the team."

Other additions to the squad were Queensland Reds brothers Saia and Anthony Fainga'a, who were both included on the bench.

Last weekend's result was a massive boost for Samoa only two months out from the World Cup, but a dent in Australia's preparations only a week after the Reds won the southern hemisphere's provincial championship for the first time in the professional era.

Of the backline that started last week, Deans stuck only with his center pairing of McCabe and Adam Ashley-Cooper and Digby Ioane on the wing. And he is testing the versatility of players such as O'Connor and McCabe by only including two backs on the seven-man reserves bench.

McCabe is "well suited to the midfield," Deans said. "He's got speed and he's also got size and he's a good decision maker."

Australia squad: Kurtley Beale, James O'Connor, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Pat McCabe, Digby Ioane, Quade Cooper, Will Genia; Ben McCalman, David Pocock, Rocky Elsom (captain), James Horwill, Rob Simmons, Ben Alexander, Stephen Moore, Sekope Kepu. Reserves: Saia Fainga'a, Pekahou Cowan, Nathan Sharpe, Matt Hodgson, Scott Higginbotham, Nick Phipps, Anthony Fainga'a.


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