Fringe players stand by for bruised Wallabies

'We'll review a number of areas'

With a few injury concerns, following his team's emphatic 34-3 demolition of England in Sydney at the weekend, Wallaby coach John Connolly is likely to go to his fringe players for the return match in Melbourne on Saturday.

While none of the Wallabies' injury niggles are serious, or long-term threats, there are a few bruised and battered bodies on Monday.

Flank Daniel Heenan is a doubtful starter after suffering a shoulder injury and head knock against England at the weekend. Waratah looser forward Wycliff Palu is in line for a starting role in Melbourne.

Josh Valentine and Sam Cordingley are in line to take over the No.9 jersey from scrum-half and captain George Gregan, who took a battering and may be given a chance to rest his bruised body.

Mat Rogers is also struggling with a groin strain and he will have to pass a fitness test later in the week.

Connolly may well make a few other changes, with Waratahs hooker Adam Freier also in line for a recall to the national team.

Rocky Elsom could also be rested, with Mark Chisholm set for a start among the loose forwards.

"Being only a six-day turnaround, we'll review a number of areas in the forwards and there'll be one or two changes in the backs," Connolly told the media on Monday.

The Wallaby coach said that the game affords him an opportunity to broaden his selection base.

"We've got a squad that we definitely want to give opportunities to, so that when we get to it we can pick a squad for the Tri-Nations.

"And developing that broader base of depth is important for Australian rugby at the moment, particularly for the World Cup, and if we don't do it now we miss an opportunity.

"We don't want to get to what happened at the end of last year when we had a lot of wounded and we weren't sure where we were at and we took a lot of young guys away."