Fitness boost for Australia ahead of Wales game

LONDON (Reuters) - Australia coach Robbie Deans has been given a fitness boost ahead of the final leg of their European tour against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday.

Backs Digby Ioane and Will Genia plus forwards Wycliff Palu and Benn Robinson are all ready to start a match Deans knows will be tough after the Wallabies lost 21-18 last year.

"The Welsh are a formidable opponent. They've consistently been one of the best teams in Europe during the last two years, have an experienced playing roster and had a wide representation on the British Lions tour earlier in the year," he said in a statement announcing the team on Thursday.

Australia are still licking their wounds after losing to Scotland last weekend for the first time since 1982, a result that ruined their hopes of an unbeaten tour.

"This match is a big test of our collective character as a group, there's no doubt about that," added Deans.

The quartet were all in doubt due to injury, with Ioane a late withdrawal from last weekend's test, while Genia, Palu and Robinson were forced from the field in that match.

Their availability was confirmed after they successfully came through training on Thursday.

"It is good to have them all back on deck," Deans said.

There are also starts for flanker David Pocock and lock Dean Mumm in place of George Smith and Mark Chisholm respectively.