The Wallaby team to take on the Cardiff Blues on Tuesday night has been named and contains a couple of interesting selections, with Beale on the wing and Cross again in the mid-week centres.
The makeup of the front row and the bench in particular will have the armchair aficionados reading the tea leaves to forecast test selections against Wales.
The Cardiff RFC record against the Wallabies in tour matches is six wins from six starts dating back to 1908. Even the much vaunted 1984 Wallaby Grand Slam side lost to them.
This club has now been transformed into the Blues, the first professional era Cardiff team to take on Australia. Their proud history indicates that they’ll again be a force to be reckoned with and a quick look at their club squad confirms this theory.
They’ll be without seven first team selections who have all been involved in the international program. Gethin Jenkins, Bradley Davies, Martyn Williams, Andy Powell, Jamie Roberts, Leigh Halfpenny and Tom James all featured in the Welsh win against Argentina on the weekend.
However, this powerhouse of Welsh rugby is not short on talent. They’ve just named their side and there’s a few blokes in it who you may know.
The one and only ‘ranga’ Maori Paul Tito, Gareth Thomas, Ceri Sweeney, Gareth Cooper, Robin Sowden-Taylor, former All Blacks Xavier Rush (Captain) and Ben Blair, and our own Sam Norton-Knight.
They have selected their top side, injuries and international duty notwithstanding. Now that looks to me like an experience base significantly wider than what Gloucester delivered.
This selection isn’t surprising because Cardiff haven’t played for over a week (a loss to London Irish 11-12) and and their next game isn’t until Sunday week. They’ll be keen to maintain their unbeaten international record against us.
Their season has been a bit patchy so far, especially early on but of late they’ve improved, had some good wins and their few losses have been only by a point or two. In fact, their last win was against Gloucester (26-25) two weeks back.
Sam Norton-Knight has been recently playing at fullback (covering for an injured Ben Blair) and has settled into playing some good football after a horror start to the season. He’s now been returned to No 10. Blair is a human dynamo and is one to be closely watched.
The forwards will be workmanlike with Gary Powell and former international Gareth Williams the strongmen, and Rush a standout. St Eddies and Brumbies product Ben White is on the flank.
Another Ocker is their backs coach Bill Millard, the former long serving Australian Sevens coach from Sydney.
As for the Wallabies, they’ll be wanting to put last weekend’s nightmare to bed. All the dirties get a run and, apart from Beale, are more or less selected in their normal positions.
Kepu switches to tighthead, with Tuckey on the bench again. Maybe they’re saving him for Saturday. The Pek at hooker experiment hasn’t been proceeded with as a starter, but don’t be surprised if he switches to that position at some time during the match.
It looks like the George/Bam Bam rotation might be another to watch this Saturday. Mummy gets to lead the charge for the second time.
The weather forecast is for rain all day on Tuesday, reducing to showers. Max 12C plus a 48km/hr wind. Glad I’m in Brisbane with the aircon on……
I think that the weather conditions will be more suited to the Cardiff boyos and as they’ve selected their strongest side, we’ll be in for a typical torrid time.
This game will be played at the 27,000 seat Cardiff City Stadium starting at 7.35pm (6.35am AEDST, 5.35am AEST – Brisbane).
Australia
15. James O’Connor (Western Force) 14. Lachie Turner (NSW Waratahs) 13. Ryan Cross (Western Force) 12. Tyrone Smith (Brumbies) 11. Kurtley Beale (NSW Waratahs) 10. Matt Toomua (Brumbies) 9. Luke Burgess (NSW Waratahs) 8. Richard Brown (Western Force) 7. Matt Hodgson (Western Force) 6. Mitchell Chapman (Brumbies) 5. Dean Mumm (NSW Waratahs, captain) 4. Dave Dennis (NSW Waratahs) 3. Sekope Kepu (NSW Waratahs) 2. Tatafu Polota-Nau (NSW Waratahs) 1. Pekahou Cowan (Western Force)
16. Salesi Ma’afu (Brumbies) 17. Matt Dunning (Western Force) 18. Mark Chisholm (Brumbies) 19. George Smith (Brumbies) 20. Richard Kingi (Queensland Reds) 21. Quade Cooper (Queensland Reds)
22. Luke Morahan (Queensland Reds)
Cardiff Blues
15 Ben Blair 14 Richard Mustoe 13 Gareth Thomas 12 Dafydd Hewitt 11 Chris Czekaj 10 Sam Norton-Knight 9 Gareth Cooper 8 Xavier Rush (c) 7 Ben White 6 Sam Warburton 5 Scott Morgan 4 Deiniol Jones 3 Gary Powell 2 Gareth Williams 1 Taufa’au Filise
16 T Rhys Thomas 17 Sam Hobbs 18 Paul Tito 19 Robin Sowden Taylor 20 Richie Rees 21 Ceri Sweeney 22 Gavin Evans
