Centre Tevita Kuridrani adds grunt to Wallaby backline after earning start against Springboks

NEW Wallaby centre Tevita Kuridrani is one of the best line runners Australian rugby has produced and will add valuable grunt to the backline.

NEW Wallaby centre Tevita Kuridrani is one of the best line runners Australian rugby has produced and will add valuable grunt to the backline at Newlands Stadium, according to skipper James Horwill.

Kuridrani, 22, was one who got away from Horwill and coach Ewen McKenzie at Queensland, after leaving the Reds academy in 2011 to link up with the Brumbies.

It was ultimately a good move for Australian rugby, believes Horwill, after ACT turned Kuridrani from a winger into a line-busting 102kg centre.

"He played at my club in Brisbane, UQ (University of Queensland) so I knew him from those days and obviously the Red Academy before he decided to move to Canberra," Horwill said.

"He was playing wing, and he always played wing through his junior footy. But I think he really suits that outside centre role.

"He's a big guy, runs great lines and gets his hands on the ball a bit more. I think it has been a key thing from the Brumbies by playing him at 13 it's been a big help to their game and to his. He suits that 13 role really well. He's got the bigger body to hit the ball up in the midfield.

"He's probably one of the best line runners that has come out of Australian rugby, he runs some great angles."

Kuridrani has come off the bench in two Tests but will make his starting debut for the Wallabies on Sunday morning (AEST) against the Springboks.

His promotion has partly come from McKenzie's need for incumbent centre Adam Ashley-Cooper to shift out to the right wing, with James O'Connor suspended.

Ashley-Cooper will add valuable experience and polish to the back three under an expected high-ball barrage, said Horwill.

"Having a guy like Coopy who's just so consistent with what he does, is a plus," Horwill said.

"He's a bit of a freak that he can play anywhere from 12 out and deal with it quite comfortably at Test level. He's a guy that loves to get his hand on the ball, he's a good finisher and he'll help with the back three, especially Izzy back there, under the high ball. That's probably something we're expecting."

Horwill said he was back to full fitness after missing the last two Tests with a hamstring injury, though on the opposite leg that required surgery last year.

"It's been good, it wasn't a traditional hamstring where you're sprinting for something and it tore, more of a hyper extension thing that was similar to the other one," Horwill said.

"It was pretty minor the tear, one of those things where there's no point in pushing it, so we've given it two weeks. It'll technically be four weeks, by the time we play."

Watching the Wallabies get pumped by the Springboks at Suncorp Stadium was unpleasant, the skipper said.

"That was difficult, it's a tough change room to be in afterward," he said.

"It's never fun watching a team you're involved in struggle. We didn't put a good account of ourselves out there so that was difficult from my perspective. But the group was hurting after that so we have to come here and try and fix it."