Rugby: Deans won't wield axe as Wallabies face whitewash

Will Genia looks set to replace Luke Burgess at halfback for the Wallabies' return clash with South Africa in Brisbane. Photo / Getty Images

PERTH - Wallabies coach Robbie Deans will resist calls for mass changes to protect his rebuilding team, which is staring at a Tri-Nations whitewash.

Deans looks set to make some adjustments to the outfit smashed by a four-try Springbok onslaught at Subiaco Oval but fears the damage that tampering too much could bring to inexperienced players.

Queensland halfback Will Genia looks set to replace the erratic Luke Burgess while Berrick Barnes (concussion) has declared his fitness to give selectors the option of bringing him into five-eighth and moving Matt Giteau to inside centre.

Giteau looked far more effective when he moved to his original No 12 position late in the game as Quade Cooper made a big impact at first five-eighths for the Wallabies to score two late consolation tries.

But Cooper's fine cameo outside the sharp Genia was tarnished by a strained medial ligament which has him in serious doubt for Saturday night's return match at Suncorp Stadium.

Veteran lock Nathan Sharpe (shoulder) is expected to be fit but is no certainty to return after a solid comeback by Mark Chisholm.

A 32-25 scoreline belied South Africa's dominance as they outplayed and outmuscled the home side for a record high scoreline on Australian soil.

The Wallabies fourth straight loss leaves them vulnerable to a winless Tri-Nations with two tests left, concluding with their September 20 clash with New Zealand in Wellington.

Deans admitted he was considering changes but, with very few experienced players waiting in the wings, indicated he was reluctant to move into experimentation mode.

He's already been badly bitten once by making wholesale changes with an eye to future - in Johannesburg 12 months ago when thumped 53-8 by the Springboks.

"We don't want to expose everyone all at once," Deans said on Sunday. "You can say `look to the future, this is where we'll be in five years, let's go there now'.

"But you can actually burn the future if you don't manage the arrivals.

"Tampering for tampering's sake is not appropriate to that end.

"We saw what happened at Ellis Park last year and we don't want to go back there thanks.

"You have one side (South Africa) at the peak of their trade and maturity and we're chasing that and seeing that there's a critical mass."

But it appears it will be Genia's time to make his first test start in front of his home crowd after impressing in his four initial games off the bench.

The Reds youngster once again provided slick service and looked at home in the test arena after replacing Burgess, who continued to struggle with his passing.

Worst of all, Burgess turned his back on rival Fourie du Preez when South Africa were awarded a penalty near the line, allowing him to scoot past to score after taking a quick tap.

"(Genia) has shown that he's got what (he) needs to do well at test level," Deans said. "He looked himself and that's great.

"That's the essence - when these blokes get to the point they approach test rugby like club games, they're good to go.

"But we still have a number who are putting their own barriers up unnecessarily."

- AAP