MELBOURNE :Australia flyhalf James O'Connor has been rewarded with the number 10 jersey following his globe-trotting journey while prop James Slipper will become the first Wallaby to play 150 tests in the Rugby Championship clash against New Zealand on Saturday.

O'Connor flew to England last week to join his new club Leicester Tigers only to head back to the Antipodes days later after being named in Joe Schmidt's Australia squad for the final two tests against the All Blacks at Eden Park and Perth.

The 35-year-old replaces Tane Edmed, who has been demoted to the bench after a shaky debut as Wallabies' 10 in the 28-26 defeat by Argentina in Sydney.

Fifteen years after his 2010 debut against England, 36-year-old loosehead prop Slipper becomes the third player to reach the 150-cap mileston

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