2010 Wallabies End of Year Tour (EOYT)

[Jnor]

Straight off the twitter press:

@QantasWallabies BEHIND THE SCENES: Last #Wallabies training @ Leichhardt Oval b4 team naming to be announced very shortly 2day http://twitpic.com/2xe0l0

I'm guessing an hour or so

 

[Lance Free]

Spring Tour Squad announced:

The selection of four members of Australian Sevens team from the Commonwealth Games highlights the 36-man Qantas Wallabies touring party unveiled today for this year’s Spring Tour.

Australia’s Sevens captain Pat McCutcheon has been included alongside three of his team-mates from the just concluded New Delhi tournament – halfback Nick Phipps, winger Lachie Turner and winger/fullback Luke Morahan.

Twenty-one-year-old Phipps is the squad bolter, having won the third halfback position backing up Will Genia and Luke Burgess.

The evergreen Queensland Reds lock Van Humphries is celebrating his first Qantas Wallabies selection at age 34.

Humphries is one of seven uncapped players included for the tour.

Queensland Reds winger Rod Davies earns his spot after being unavailable for selection earlier in the year due to a torn hamstring sustained during the Reds’ penultimate match in Super Rugby against the Hurricanes in Wellington.

The two other uncapped players are Brumbies centre Pat McCabe and Queensland Reds loose forward Scott Higginbotham. Both were involved in Australia’s Tri Nations squad earlier in the year but didn’t play a match.

Brumbies second rower Mark Chisholm is included after making a remarkable recovery from an injured knee sustained in club rugby last month.

Prop Ben Alexander is also back from an enforced layoff, having not featured since Australia’s 49-3 win over Fiji at Canberra in June due to a knee injury.

The squad assembles in Sydney on Wednesday and departs for Hong Kong on Saturday 23 October.

Ben Alexander Prop Brumbies 25 19
Adam Ashley-Cooper Fullback-Wing-Outside Centre Brumbies 26 46
Berrick Barnes Inside centre-Flyhalf NSW Waratahs 24 26
Kurtley Beale Fullback NSW Waratahs 21 9
Richard Brown No 8/Loose Forward Western Force 26 22
Luke Burgess Halfback NSW Waratahs 27 27
Mark Chisholm Lock Brumbies 29 53
Quade Cooper Flyhalf Queensland Reds 22 19
Rod Davies Winger Queensland Reds 21 Uncapped
Ben Daley Prop Queensland Reds 22 3
Huia Edmonds Hooker Brumbies 29 3
Rocky Elsom (c) Flanker Brumbies 27 59
Anthony Fainga'a Inside Centre Queensland Reds 23 4
Saia Fainga'a Hooker Queensland Reds 23 9
Will Genia Halfback Queensland Reds 22 18
Matt Giteau Inside Centre Brumbies 28 87
Scott Higginbotham Loose forward Queensland Reds 24 Uncapped
Matt Hodgson Loose forward Western Force 29 4
Peter Hynes Wing Queensland Reds 28 22
Van Humphries Lock Queensland Reds 34 Uncapped
Salesi Ma’afu Prop Brumbies 27 10
Pat McCabe Centre/Wing/Fullback Brumbies 22 Uncapped
Ben McCalman Lock/Loose Forward Western Force 22 4
Pat McCutcheon Flanker NSW Waratahs 23 Uncapped
Drew Mitchell Wing NSW Waratahs 26 50
Stephen Moore Hooker Brumbies 27 51
Luke Morahan Wing Queensland Reds 20 Uncapped
Dean Mumm Lock/Loose-forward NSW Waratahs 26 29
James O’Connor Fullback Western Force 20 23
Nick Phipps Halfback Melbourne Rebels 21 Uncapped
David Pocock Flanker Western Force 22 25
Benn Robinson Prop NSW Waratahs 26 37
Nathan Sharpe Lock Western Force 32 88
Rob Simmons Lock Queensland Reds 21 4
James Slipper Prop Queensland Reds 21 9
Lachie Turner Wing NSW Waratahs 23 12

 

[RugbyReg]

wow McCutcheon! Phibbs! Edmonds.

No Kane Douglas. No Kepu.

 

[Crow]

Davies, Van and Morahan.
With the exception of Weeks, I'm rather pleased with that list.

Why no love for Weeks, Robbie, why?

 

[RugbyReg]

So those from the 40 who missed out:

Matt To'omua, Mitchell Chapman, Nathan Charles, Brackin Karauria-Henry, Dave Dennis, Kane Douglas, Pat O’Connor, Richard Kingi, Sekope Kepu.

Those not in the 40 who were picked:

Lachie Turner, Luke Morahan, Mark Chisholm, Nick Phipps, Pat McCutcheon.

 

[RugbyReg]

9 Brumbies
6 Forcies
1 Rebel
12 Reds
8 Tahs

 

[Brumbies Guy]

So those from the 40 who missed out:

Matt To'omua, Mitchell Chapman, Nathan Charles, Brackin Karauria-Henry, Dave Dennis, Kane Douglas, Pat O’Connor, Richard Kingi, Sekope Kepu.

Those not in the 40 who were picked:

Lachie Turner, Luke Morahan, Mark Chisholm, Nick Phipps, Pat McCutcheon.

Great effort by the Sevens boys

 

[fatprop]

wow McCutcheon! Phibbs! Edmonds.

No Kane Douglas. No Kepu.

It appears set piece and proper tight forwards are going to be ignored for a while longer. No Weeks, No Kepu, No Charles, No Douglas ...............................

I expect the midweekers to be absolutely destroyed at set piece

And just who is the back up 13? If AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is wounded who will play 13 in a test match McCabe or Anthony Fainga'a ............... faaaark

 

[RugbyReg]

It appears set piece and proper tight forwards is going to be ignored for a while longer. No Weeks, No Kepu, No Charles, No Douglas ...............................

I expect the midweekers to be absolutely destroyed at set piece

And just who is the back up 13? If AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) is wounded who will play 13 in a test match McCabe or Anthony Fainga'a ............... faaaark

there wasn't another 13 in the 40 man squad either. I'd suggest that it will come down to the likes of Morahan, Mitchell or Hynes. None are great options. I guess if AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) get's injured they just call over Inman. Or was there talk of Diggers or Chambers POSSIBLY being fit a little later on tour? Regardless, it's a tough position to fill at the moment.

 

[Crow]

5 props
6 locks
2 hookers
5 back rowers
5 specialist wings(!)
and a bunch of assorted backs.

I'd be concerned if I were JOC (James O'Connor) and trying to hold that wing spot.

 

[barbarian]

Would have liked to see Douglas and Kepu there. Think Phipps is a bit out there but not all that bad, although I doubt he is a long term Wallaby prospect to be honest. Like seeing the sevens guys there, another shot in the arm for the program.

 

[Groucho]

Edmonds for Charles is a disappointing choice. What does Robbie see in him that no one else in Australian rugby does? Oh well, the rain suits seagulls.

Humphreys for Douglas will please the Reds brigade, and I guess he will be the forwards leader for the midweek games, but Douglas would have been better for Australian rugby. We need to get Douglas swearing on TV instead of ripping it up in the tight.

 

[Brumbies Guy]

5 props
6 locks
2 hookers
5 back rowers
5 specialist wings(!)
and a bunch of assorted backs.

I'd be concerned if I were JOC (James O'Connor) and trying to hold that wing spot.

Who did you count as the specialist wings, and assorted backs? There more than 5 back rowers too

And who isn't included as a hooker out of Moore, Fainga'a and Edmonds? Probably the seagull

 

[fatprop]

Lots of seagulls in this squad

 

[Lindommer]

Edmonds instead of Charles. MMMmmm? No Kane Douglas. Much as I admire Humphrey's efforts at his age I don't understand how he could be preferred over a talented youngster like Kane. Please, Van, prove me wrong.

So we have

Hookers: Edmonds, Fainga'a & Moore
Props: Alexander, Daley, Ma'afu, Robinson & Slipper
Second row: Chisholm, Humphries, Sharpe & Simmons
Back row: Brown, Elsom, Higginbotham, Hodgson, McCalman, McCutcheon, Mumm & Pocock
Halves: Burgess, Cooper, Genia & Phipps
Centres: Ashley-Cooper, Barnes, Fainga'a & Giteau
Wing/FB: Beale, Davies, Hynes, McCabe, Mitchell, Morahan, O'Connor & Turner

Bit skinny for outside centres, if AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)'s injured his replacement would be a part-time 13.

 

[RugbyReg]

So if the test team is something like this:


15 Kurtley Beale
14 James O’Connor
13 Adam Ashley-Cooper
12 Berrick Barnes
11 Lachie Turner
10 Quade Cooper
9 Will Genia
8 Ben McCalman
7 David Pocock
6 Rocky Elsom*(c)
5 Mark Chisholm
4 Nathan Sharpe
3 Ben Alexander
2 Stephen Moore
1 Benn Robinson

16 Saia Fainga'a
17 James Slipper
18 Dean Mumm
19 Matt Hodgson
20 Luke Burgess
21 Matt Giteau
22 Drew Mitchell

The mid week team might be:


15 Peter Hynes
14 Rod Davies
13 Luke Morahan
12 Anthony Fainga'a
11 Pat McCabe
10
9 Nick Phipps
8 Richard Brown
7 Pat McCutcheon
6 Scott Higginbotham
5 Van Humphries
4 Rob Simmons
3 Salesi Ma’afu
2 Huia Edmonds
1 Ben Daley

With probably Gits (or Berrick) at 10.

 

[Jnor]

It also appears Dick Graham has yet to be replaced...

Coaching Staff/Team Management

Head Coach: Robbie Deans
Forwards Coach: Jim Williams
Assistant Coach: David Nucifora
Scrum Coach: Patricio Noriega
Strength & Conditioning Coach: Peter Harding
Analyst: Andrew Sullivan
Manager: Robert [Bob] Egerton

 

[RugbyReg]

Nucifora is effectively replacing him on tour, whilst also scouting potential new coaches over there.

 

[Crow]

Who did you count as the specialist wings, and assorted backs? There more than 5 back rowers too

And who isn't included as a hooker out of Moore, Fainga'a and Edmonds? Probably the seagull

Davies, Morahan, Turner, Hynes, Mitchell.
I don't think that they're there to move to the centres, but RD has made a monkey out of me before...

Pocock, McCutcheon, Higgenbotham, Hodgson, Brown, Elsom. That's 6, and it's time to go back to primary school. Maybe some wishful thinking on Brown's part :/

 

[Viking]

I wonder why Kepu wasnt picked, he adds a lot of size which i thought would be handy in the North, especially in scrums.