While the 22-year-old is used to lurking on the left wing, his last outing in a Saints shirt saw an early switch to the number 13 slot and he would score four times in the Champions Cup win over Ospreys.
North also played outside Jamie Roberts during last season’s Six Nations as Wales defeated France in Cardiff and duly scored a try in the 27-6 win.
There are no uncapped players in Warren Gatland’s starting XV.
Wales’ clash with the Wallabies kicks off at 2:30pm and is being shown live on the BBC.
Wales team to face Australia
Leigh Halfpenny (Toulon); Alex Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), George North (Northampton Saints), Jamie Roberts (Racing Metro), Liam Williams (Scarlets); Dan Biggar (Ospreys), Rhys Webb (Ospreys);
Paul James (Bath), Richard Hibbard (Gloucester), Samson Lee (Scarlets), Jake Ball (Scarlets), Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys), Dan Lydiate (Unattached), Sam Warburton (Capt), Taulupe Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons).
Replacements: Scott Baldwin (Ospreys), Gethin Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), Rhodri Jones (Scarlets), Bradley Davies (London Wasps), Justin Tipuric (Ospreys), Mike Phillips (Racing Metro), Rhys Priestland (Scarlets), Cory Allen (Cardiff Blues)
