Rugby: Wallabies make two surprise selections

There are two shock selections in the Wallabies team for their end of year European tour.

Queensland outside back Drew Mitchell and New South Wales forward Stephen Hoiles are the two debutantes.

Coach Eddie Jones said both players have enormous promise.

Jones said Steve Hoiles biggest strength is in the lineout, while Mitchell has plenty of pace out wide.

Meanwhile Elton Flatley and Mat Rogers have also been included after overcoming serious injuries.

Lock Nathan Sharpe was not considered for the four-test tour of France and Britain to allow him to recover from a niggling shoulder injury.

Eddie Jones says it looks his team will play four tests against the Springboks in 2005.

This comes with the home unions being off limits because of the Lions tour to New Zealand and South Africa and Australia needing to up their test quota.

Jones says the Mandela Cup will be played for in the extra tests, with the Cup not being played for in the past few seasons.

He is concerned the test schedule may become too congested if his side plays the four tests against the Springboks.

Australia and South Africa are looking at playing each other four times next year, making up their test quotas.

Eddie Jones said fans may lose interest.

He said there was a risk test rugby will become like one-day cricket where there are simply too many games in a calendar year.

- Newstalk ZB