LOCK NATHAN Sharpe and centre Berrick Barnes have been ruled out of Australia’s team to play South Africa in the Tri-Nations in Perth on Saturday.

The pair joined a mounting casualty list that forced the Wallabies to delay the naming of their team by 48 hours.

The selectors were due to name their side yesterday but had to postpone the announcement until Thursday because of the heavy injury toll from last weekend’s 19-18 loss to New Zealand in Sydney.

Four players, Sharpe, Barnes, teenage fullback James OConnor and flanker Rocky Elsom, missed Monday’s training session to seek medical treatment.

Sharpe was then ruled out of the match because of a shoulder problem while Barnes was overlooked after suffering concussion and injuring his neck against the All Blacks last weekend.

Elsom is nursing an ankle injury while OConnor limped off the field after hurting his leg, although x-rays later cleared him of any fractures.

Wallabies coach Robbie Deans is confident Elsom and O’Connor will be fit to face the Springboks at the Subiaco Oval.

“Rocky’s still in consideration. He picked up a bit of an ankle complaint, but it doesn’t seem too bad,” Deans said. “We expect O’Connor to be available.”