Tour veteran Ryan Cross will back up for his second start in four days as the Wallabies look to get back on track against the Cardiff Blues on Tuesday night.

At 30, Cross is the oldest back in Robbie Deans's 35-man squad but he's set to feature in all seven matches on the spring tour after being picked to partner Tyrone Smith in the centres for the mid-week fixture.

The former NRL star started in the tour-opening Test against the All Blacks in Tokyo and also against Gloucester five days later, then warmed the bench against England and Ireland before being called up as a late replacement for the injured Digby Ioane for Saturday's shock loss to Scotland.

Definitely earning his keep, Cross is the only player who started at Murrayfield who will also run on against Cardiff.

He will also feature somewhere in the 22-man squad for the tour-ending Test against Wales at Millennium Stadium on Saturday, possibly in the XV again if Ioane fails to recover from his shoulder injury.

Teenage five-eighth Matt Toomua and prop Pek Cowan will make their starting debuts for the Wallabies in Tuesday's non-cap match, while reserve backs Richard Kingi and Luke Morahan are also in line for their maiden appearances.

Wallabies lock Dean Mumm retains the captaincy of the mid-week side after leading the second-stringers to a 36-5 victory at Gloucester.

Wallabies: James O'Connor, Lachie Turner, Ryan Cross, Tyrone Smith, Kurtley Beale, Matt Toomua, Luke Burgess, Richard Brown, Matt Hodgson, Mitchell Chapman, Dean Mumm (capt), Dave Dennis, Sekope Kepu, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Pek Cowan. Replacements: Salesi Ma'afu, Matt Dunning, Mark Chisholm, George Smith, Richard Kingi, Quade Cooper, Luke Morahan.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP