Rugby:James O'Connor was named on the bench for Australia's World Cup opener against Italy in Pool C after coach Robbie Deans stuck with a winning team and opted against recalling the winger following his one-game suspension for indiscipline.
Deans retained the starting line-up that beat New Zealand to win the Tri Nations title in Brisbane last month but made three changes to the replacements with O'Connor, prop James Slipper and hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau coming in for Rob Horne, Saia Fainga'a and Salesi Ma'afu.
With just six days' rest before their match against Ireland, some Australian media had speculated that Deans would rotate his side to maintain freshness but the New Zealander said that wasn't an option.
"It is definitely our best lineup because we want to win and we have a lot of respect for the Italian side," he added.
"I have watched them play some great rugby and watched them develop."
O'Connor was suspended for the Tri Nations decider after he was a no-show for a team photo-shoot and function for the Wallabies World Cup squad announcement following what local media reported was a boozy night out.
"He wasn't available to us in the last instance and he is on this occasion but he has been selected on the bench which is one step closer," Deans said.
Deans appeared bothered when asked repeatedly about denying O'Connor, one of the Wallabies' top attacking players, a starting spot for the first World Cup match.
"A lot of time is spent talking about people that aren't available to you," the New Zealander said.
"But the game isn't about that, the game is about who is available to you and those who are lucky enough to get the opportunity, and most players don't waste the opportunities when they are presented to them. That's the key, making the most of the time you get."
Quade Cooper, who made four of six kicks against New Zealand in Brisbane, will retain the kicking duties against Italy but Deans said O'Connor would take over if he was on the pitch.
Australia(v Italy): K Beale; A Ashley-Cooper, A Faingaa, P McCabe, D Ioane; Q Cooper, W Genia; S Kepu, S Moore, B Alexander, D Vickerman, J Horwill (capt), R Elsom, D Pocock, R Samo. Replacements:T Polota-Nau, J Slipper, R Simmons, B McCalman, S Higginbotham, L Burgess, J O'Connor.
