April Wallaby 30 Man Squad

[rugbysmartarse]

the players selected from franchises I don't support are not as worthy of inclusion as players from the franchise I do support and the coach is a muppet or a plant for not seeing this.

 

[hazzaj]

The official ARU list is:

1. Jesse Mogg (Brumbies)x
2. Israel Folau (NSW Waratahs)x
3. Digby Ioane (Queensland Reds)x
4. Joe Tomane (Brumbies)
5. Adam Ashley-Cooper (NSW Waratahs)x
6. Ben Tapuai (Queensland Reds)
7. Pat McCabe (Brumbies)x
8. Christian Leali’ifano (Brumbies)x
9. Berrick Barnes (NSW Waratahs)
10. James O’Connor (Melbourne Rebels)x
11. Nic White (Brumbies)x
12. Will Genia (Queensland Reds)x
13. Wycliff Palu (NSW Waratahs)
14. Fotu Auelua (Brumbies)
15. Michael Hooper (NSW Waratahs)x
16. Liam Gill (Queensland Reds)x
17. Dave Dennis (NSW Waratahs)
18. Scott Higginbotham (Melbourne Rebels)x
19. Ben Mowen (Brumbies)
20. Rob Simmons (Queensland Reds)x
21. James Horwill (Queensland Reds)x
22. Kane Douglas (NSW Waratahs)
23. Sitaleki Timani (NSW Waratahs)x
24. Dan Palmer (Brumbies)x
25. James Slipper (Queensland Reds)x
26. Ben Alexander (Brumbies)x
27. Benn Robinson (NSW Waratahs)x
28. Scott Sio (Brumbies)
29. Stephen Moore (Brumbies)x
30. Tatafu Polota Nau (NSW Waratahs)x.

21/30 for me. Barnes looks like he will take 10.

No Beale or Cooper. gg Deans #deansout

 

[jay-c]

jeesh deans has gotta be careful, sooner or later the qlders are gunna find out the truth that nobody at the aru is interested in the wallabies winning- we just want to keep qlders out of the team. we just need to keep selecting the minimum possible to keep them happy and that way we can continue to strive for the ultimate goal of rebranding the wallabies the "warrabies"

 

[qwerty51]

Barnes is in Sydney, there are no other Force players in it. Stop reading into things that aren't there.

Also the journo who said a full Tahs pack can't count.

 

[Lance Free]

There is also some consolation:

"A further six players will be added as soon as Super Rugby breaks for the June Tests, with the final Qantas Wallabies squad of 31 for the British & Irish Lions series to be unveiled at Stockland Stadium on the Sunshine Coast on Tuesday June 11."

 

[barbarian]

No Paddy Ryan or Sekope Kepu.

I reckon that is just about as good a squad as you could hope for. Not sure about the MMM thing, I presume it is because of injury. He is the only real top-liner not to feature. Well, Quade too.......
.

 

[Slim 293]

There are reports that Scott Sio was also invited. Good up-and-comer for sure.

Good on him, he's earned it.

Hopefully he'll get a run on the EOYT.........

 

[meatsack]

Glad to see Mowen finally in. Only 4.5 players to cover the entire back 3 in a 30 man squad, while we have 7.5 backrowers picked? I know Deans likes a 5-2 bench but I'd have preferred another specialist winger in there.

 

[Ignoto]

There is a huge difference between saying you 'feel more comfortable playing with such-and-such' and 'I wouldn't want to play with anyone else.' Especially when you take their tenure in the team and previous experience into consideration.

I honestly cannot be arsed nit picking at words. Before taking this any more off topic, we begin to wonder why players distance themselves from the media, the public and interviews. This is exactly one of those reasons. I could find other examples where players have expressed their desire to play alongside someone they know, but you'd just write it off with some excuse.

 

[Henry]

Glad to see Mowen finally in. Only 4.5 players to cover the entire back 3 in a 30 man squad, while we have 7.5 backrowers picked? I know Deans likes a 5-2 bench but I'd have preferred another specialist winger in there.

Space for Mitchell.

 

[thierry dusautoir]

Barnes, TPN, Timani and McCabe in the squad.............squad was definitely picked on merit then

 

[barbarian]

Yeah surprised about Drew Mitchell not being in there too. One of Deans favourites, who is in the best form I have seen him in since the start of 2011. One of the form wingers at the moment.

Deans has an anti-Tah bias I struggle to get past, frankly.

 

[Lance Free]

To clarify: 25 Wallaby players to be announced on 19 May to go into B&I Lions camp. Plus 6 additional players to be added 11 June after final Oz Super rugby round played (before BIL arrives). Total 31 in final squad. Not 30-man current 'logistics' squad + 6 (36).

Press release said:

"The first muster of 25 players who will go into Wallabies camp ahead of the Lions tour on June 3 will be announced on Sunday May 19.

A further six players will be added as soon as Super Rugby breaks for the June Tests, with the final Qantas Wallabies squad of 31 for the British & Irish Lions series to be unveiled at Stockland Stadium on the Sunshine Coast on Tuesday June 11.

The Wallabies will be in camp on the Sunshine Coast before moving to Brisbane for the opening game of the three-Test series at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Saturday June 22."

 

[Bullrush]

I honestly cannot be arsed nit picking at words. Before taking this any more off topic, we begin to wonder why players distance themselves from the media, the public and interviews. This is exactly one of those reasons. I could find other examples where players have expressed their desire to play alongside someone they know, but you'd just write it off with some excuse.

Words are argueably the most powerful things in the world.

You've just won an all-expenses paid trip for 2 to the Bahamas and you can go with your wife or Jessica Alba. The radio presenter asks you who you're taking. Do you say

"I'd be more comfortable going with my wife"

or

"I wouldn't want to go with anyone else but my wife"

Genia didn't just express a desire to play along-side QC (Quade Cooper). He said he wouldn't want to play with anyone else. That's either a poor choice of words or he really feels that way.

Happy to see quotes from players who have said the same thing but I think you'll struggle to find anything as strong as what Genia has said here.

 

[Richo]

Wow, so some people must be feeling pretty foolish for getting all excited because Bret Harris dribbled some names into his keyboard.

Who doesn't deserve to be in the frame from that list?

I suppose if you hate the Waratahs, it would be the guys coming back from injury: Barnes, Palu, TPN, McCabe. Probably the luckiest is Timani, but he did pretty well in gold last year. In all of those cases, they have been part of the Wallabies set up for the last 12 months at a minimum. Hardly controversial that they would still be in the frame, even if they're hurt or not in good form. I can understand the controversy with Folau, given he's a newcomer. But who did he hold out? Mitchell?

Let's assume that no Force players were invited for logistical reasons. If there are any "snubs" they would perhaps be: Quade, Faingaas, Mitchell, Shipperly, Ryan. All of those are debatable to varying extents and all might still be in the picture, so far as we know.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

there's another 6 to join the squad.
cummins wouldnt be there cause he hasn't played at all this year.
MMM is injured for awhile so probably not worth bringing him in

the only player from the force i would look at are Mafi and Godwin - perhaps one of their back three. but mafi aside, i am not surprised there's no force. just like i am not surprised there's only 2 rebels - though i thought Pyle might have gotten a call.

Mitchell is a surprise for sure - especially given barnes and mccabe are in there.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

Let's assume that no Force players were invited for logistical reasons. If there are any "snubs" they would perhaps be: Quade, Faingaas, Mitchell, Shipperly, Ryan. All of those are debatable to varying extents and all might still be in the picture, so far as we know.

what force players would you invite? Mafi aside, I can't think of anyone really given that MMM is out for quite a few weeks and cummins has been out all year.

Mafi and mitchell out though...surprising. I would think at least one of them will come in alongside Kepu or Ryan, Pyle or MMM and Phipps as a third string 9.

 

[Lance Free]

there's another 6 to join the squad.

The real Wallaby team to be named on 19 May numbers 25 players (5 fewer than this 'logistics' group). Then, they add another 6 on 11 June (after the final Oz Super Rugby round before BIL arrives) for a final total of 31 players.

They don't add another 6 to today's announced 30-man squad.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

gotcha.

 

[The Red Baron]

The real reason as to why there are no Force players is because Foley hasn't named his team.