Sydney: Wallabies coach Robbie Deans has named a full complement of 28 players for their Tri-Nations matches in South Africa, with Lachie Turner, Nick Cummins and Pat McCabe all added to cover for injuries.
Deans had earlier told local media he thought mounting injuries to his side would mean he may not take a full squad to South Africa on Friday with Drew Mitchell, Cameron Shepherd and Matt Hodgson all under a cloud.
Mitchell was deemed fit enough to travel, while Shepherd and flanker Hodgson were both left out of the squad. Winger Peter Hynes was not considered as he has not fully recovered from a knee injury.
Shepherd sustained a hamstring strain during training in Perth last week while Hodgson picked up a groin strain at Wallabies training in Sydney on Tuesday.
Neither are expected to be available until Australia's final match of the Tri-Nations, against New Zealand in Sydney on September 11.
The Wallabies play world champions South Africa in Pretoria on August 28 and in Bloemfontein on September 4. Their slim hopes of winning the Tri-Nations title are riding on an emphatic Springboks victory over leader New Zealand this weekend.
The All Blacks play South Africa at the National Stadium in Soweto on tomorrow, needing just a point from the match to seal their fifth title in six years.
The All Blacks have 19 points, while the Wallabies have four. The Springboks are winless on zero points.
A run of injuries, however, is not Deans' only concern with local media reporting that flyhalf Quade Cooper has been offered A$850,000 ($766,500) to join Australia's National Rugby League (NRL) club Parramatta. The 22-year-old is seen as an important cog if the Wallabies are to challenge at next year's World Cup in New Zealand.
