Cross in for injured Mortlock against All Blacks

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Rugby league convert Ryan Cross will replace the injured Stirling Mortlock for Saturday's Tri-Nations clash with New Zealand in Sydney.

Mortlock suffered concussion in last Saturday's 16-9 win over South Africa in Perth and was forced to withdraw from the side for the match against the All Blacks, which also doubles as the first of four Bledisloe Cup games.

Flanker George Smith will captain the Wallabies in Mortlock's absence, the Australian Rugby Union said on Wednesday.

Cross, 28, has won three caps as a replacement since making the squad for the first test against France in June, but Saturday's match at Sydney's Olympic stadium will be his first appearance in the starting side.

Cross, who played rugby union at schoolboy level, joined the Perth-based Western Force Super 14 team two years ago.

He made an immediate impression when he scored two tries against France in Brisbane after coming on in the second half.

Cross's elevation to the starting side means a call-up to the bench for another former rugby league player, Timana Tahu.

Tahu, 27, switched to union with the New South Waratahs at the start of the year after a successful career during which he played for Parramatta, New South Wales and Australia.

In the only other change to the 22-man squad, lock Dan Vickerman returns to the side after recovering from ankle surgery, replacing Queensland's Hugh McMeniman on the bench.