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James O'Connor has regained the keys to the Wallabies backline, named at five-eighth for Saturday night's final Tri Nations Test of the year against Argentina.
Dave Rennie believes James O'Connor's return to the No.10 jumper will give the Wallabies backline a new dimension in Australia's final Test of the year on Saturday night against Argentina.
Knee and foot injuries have sidelined O'Connor from their past three Bledisloe Cup and Tri Nations outings.
But the 30-year-old will make his comeback as chief playmaker against the Pumas, with the versatile Reece Hodge moving to fullback at the expense of Tom Banks, who will come off the bench.
"One area where James will offer a point of difference is he'll tackle a lot squarer, which gives us a chance to sit down some defenders," coach Rennie said.
"Argentina's been very good at pushing and sliding across to fill holes so it's a real strength of James' game there to be able to play on top of defences and then obviously his experience allows us to move Reece out a bit wider."
Hodge has been a stand-out during his two appearances at five-eighth, man of the match in the Wallabies' upset win over the All Blacks in Brisbane and going within a whisker of booting Australia to victory over the Pumas in their last-start draw.
"Reece made a really good fist at 10 for us and played an important role in those games," said Rennie, insisting his decision to hand O'Connor back the keys to the Wallabies backline didn't mean the end of Hodge's days as a Test pivot.
In another tick of approval, though, Hodge will start as fullback, meaning he has played every position in the Australian backline except halfback.
"It just highlights how versatile he's been over a number of years," Rennie said.
Hodge will also retain the goalkicking duties ahead of O'Connor.
Banks has failed to produce his dynamic best in his three Tests starts this campaign.
"He would have been frustrated last time out," Rennie said.
"We had a number of times where if he'd have flattened off, there was a lot of space in front of him but he got caught deep and missed the jump on three or four occasions.
"But in the Tests he's gone well, he's contributed really well and Reece's selection is as much around the goalkicking and other aspects to get him on the field with James coming back."
In the only other change to the run-on XV, Allan Alaalatoa will start at tighthead prop, relegating Taniela Tupou to the bench.
Like O'Connor, lock Lukhan Salakaia-Loto returns after missing the last two Tests with an ankle injury, joining Rob Valetini as other forward cover.
Midfielder Irae Simone has forced his way onto the bench as he aims for a second appearance in the Wallabies jersey.
The All Blacks have one hand and four fingers on the Tri Nations trophy, with the Wallabies needing to beat the Pumas by 101 points to snatch it away.
It's a mathematical possibility for the Wallabies that surely won't happen at Bankwest Stadium.
WALLABIES: Reece Hodge, Tom Wright, Jordan Petaia, Hunter Paisami, Marika Koroibete, James O'Connor, Nic White, Harry Wilson, Michael Hooper (capt), Ned Hanigan, Matt Philip, Rob Simmons, Allan Alaalatoa, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Scott Sio. Res: Folau Fainga'a, Angus Bell, Taniela Tupou, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Rob Valetini, Jake Gordon, Irae Simone, Tom Banks.
