Wednesday’s rugby news has the massive change at 10, McCabe starting again, the Rebels building the NRC and Warburton forced out with contract drama.
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Beale at 10
Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie has incredibly chosen to start Kurtley Beale at five-eighth for the opening Bledisloe Cup match. Explaining the switch, McKenzie said that incumbent 10 Bernard Foley has been playing well, before adding, “Kurtley has really stepped up his game over the past few months and he’s consistently been one of the Waratahs best players every week.”
“He’ll bring some additional x-factor to our game,” Link added. Foley, who played well in the French Tests in June, would have been anticipating a certain recall after leading the Waratahs at 10 during their Super Rugby winning season. [/one_half]
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McCabe included in changes
An incredible return from injury will see Pat McCabe once again in the starting Test team, one of five personnel changes made by coach Ewen McKenzie from the last outing against France. McKenzie has chosen to inject a few more Tahs into the backline, with Adam Ashley-Cooper returned to the no.13 jersey ahead of Tevita Kuridrani, and Rob Horne starting on the wing. As expected, Nathan Charles will start at hooker and Brumbies lock Sam Carter will return to the team after an ankle injury.
After having recurring neck injuries, which included a serious scare in March, McCabe was grateful to still be playing, saying, “I’ve learnt to enjoy the highs, but you realise the lows are never too far away.” [/one_half]
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Rebels look to NRC
The Melbourne Rebels have emphasised the role that the NRC competition will have in finally allowing development of Victorian players. While there is a strong contingent of Rebels in the team, almost half the squad were drawn from the Dewar Shield and are not on full-time Rebels contracts.
Melbourne Rising coach Sean Hedger regarded the Rising as a key step in player development. “We’ve described the Rising program as the missing link for Melbourne rugby players because there is a really good junior pathway,” Hedger said, with Victoria notably winning the under-15 title in the ARU national Junior Gold Cup earlier this year while finishing runner-up in the under-17 competition. [/one_half]
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Warburton unable to play
Test captain Sam Warburton will not be able to play for the Cardiff Blues on Friday as negotiations are continuing regarding the new Welsh Participation Agreement. The WRU and the Welsh regions are still deadlocked over the new agreement, while the regions have made a collective vow to not pick anyone, like Warburton, who is on a central contract until there is a deal made.
Welsh prop Adam Jones has also been without a club and rumoured to be signing with the Aviva Premiership. Jones has returned to training with Neath as any potential deal with the Ospreys, his ideal location, hinges on the status of the new Agreement [/one_half]
