Berrick Barnes’ red-hot goalkicking and Pat McCabe’s return from injury have relegated Kurtley Beale to the Wallabies’ bench for a second time in the Rugby Championship.

With hard-running McCabe brought back to start at inside centre after recovering from a foot stress fracture, coach Robbie Deans shifted Barnes to fullback at the expense of the mercurial Beale for Saturday night’s clash with Argentina at Gold Coast’s Skilled Park.

It’s Beale’s second stint on the bench in three Tests after being dropped from the starting team previously following his tournament-opening shocker against New Zealand in Sydney.

A five-eighth or playmaking No.12, Barnes has no Test experience at fullback but he played there for Sydney University in his return from his headache issues last year.

Deans indicated Barnes’ remarkable 25 from 29 success rate as Wallabies goalkicker this year, including six from six in Saturday’s 26-19 win over South Africa, was a key factor in his retention ahead of Beale.

“His presence provides good balance to the backline, while giving us the opportunity to throw Kurtley in where he will be at his most dangerous, against a tiring defensive line as the game opens up and he can get out there with a licence to play,” Deans said.

Veteran lock Nathan Sharpe will captain Australia for the third time, and first in seven years, taking the reins from halfback Will Genia who badly injured his knee late in the comeback win over the Springboks in Perth.

In his 109th Test, Sharpe will partner debutant Kane Douglas in the second row after the rookie was promoted to replace injured fellow Waratahs lock Sitakeli Timani (hamstring).

In the third personnel change to Australia’s starting 15, Rebels halfback Nick Phipps has the big task of replacing Genia.

Argentina, looking for their first win in the Rugby Championship, will name their side late Tuesday.