November Tour Squad

[fatprop]

Palmer will have to step up his work rate before he gets much further.

Fantastic young THP, but these days, all the tight forwards need to do more around the field than go from scrum to scrum.

 

[Grandmaster Flash]

Sharpe's out of the tour:

Veteran lock Nathan Sharpe is to undergo shoulder surgery and will miss the Wallabies' tour of Japan and the United Kingdom.
Western Force captain Sharpe, the most experienced second rower in the Australian squad, initially injured his shoulder in the second Bledisloe Cup match against New Zealand in Sydney in August but had been hoping to make the tour.
However he has accepted he needs surgery and will undergo an operation on Monday which is expected to sideline him for another three to six months.
"I had a period from when I injured it to this camp to try and get it right and it's just not improving," Sharpe told AAP on Thursday.
"Obviously there is a structural element to it.
"The surgeon will get in there and have a look at it and he will assess what he needs to do.
"The problem I have at the moment is my tendon is coming out of its groove."
Sharpe's Force team-mate, emerging winger Nick Cummins has also been ruled out of Wallabies tour contention with a foot ligament injury, which coach Robbie Deans said was similar to a problem suffered by lock James Horwill last year.
"It's not one you can take likely," Deans said.
A couple of players also picked up knocks in Thursday's intra-squad hitout at Sydney's St Ignatius College, which attracted around 3,000 spectators.
Back rower Stephen Hoiles left the field with a hamstring strain which Deans said was probably a grade one injury.
Deans said hooker Stephen Moore aggravated a previous nose injury, but it wouldn't prevent him from being considered for the tour squad, which will be announced on Friday.
Of the players who didn't participate in Thursday's hitout, Deans said skipper Stirling Mortlock was likely to resume full training next week along with winger Digby Ioane and forwards Rocky Elsom, Horwill, Benn Robinson and Sekope Kepu.
Deans prowled behind play during Thursday's 70 minute opposed session, frequently stopping play to impart advice and instructions.

No mention of Gits injury?

 

[Cutter]

You must have missed it. See below:

In another blow to the Wallabies' tour preparations, star Matt Giteau may have aggravated some hurt feelings he has been carrying for much of the season. Whilst the Wallabies' medical staff were yet to examine the latest damage, Giteau's body language showed, as it has for much of the season, that he is suffering from this ongoing problem.

 

[barbarian]

You must have missed it. See below:

In another blow to the Wallabies' tour preparations, star Matt Giteau may have aggravated some hurt feelings he has been carrying for much of the season. Whilst the Wallabies' medical staff were yet to examine the latest damage, Giteau's body language showed, as it has for much of the season, that he is suffering from this ongoing problem.

That's a pretty common injury for a 5/8 I think you'll find. League convert wingers are also susceptible.

 

[Gagger]

Sharpe's out of the tour:

No mention of Gits injury?

Yep, it was a cruel hoax. Especially for Dingo Deans who thought his 5/8 problem had just been solved

 

[Lindommer]

Interesting bit of industrial espionage over on The Roar.

Confidential email from Deans to his boss
I am in receipt of a confidential email to John O’Neill from Robbie Deans, dated 20th September 2009. Here it is.

Dear John,

I am sitting on the plane back to Sydney after the appalling performance last night. I wanted to give you a heads up of my opinion of the situation. I again confirm that my brief is explicitly to change the culture of the Wallabies, fundamentally and in the long term. Just to be clear, I know and share your opinion that the Wallabies are or should be Australia’s premier national team. We play in a truly global sport.

In 6 World Cups, the Wallabies have amassed two RWC victories, one runner up and one appearance in the semi finals and quarter finalists in the other two. The Wallabies have invariably done this by punching above their weight and on the back of some very driven, competitive and clever people like Bob Dwyer, Michael Lynagh, John Eales and Rod Macqueen. Further, the Wallabies are a strong and valuable world brand with a long and wonderful heritage. We have a very sustainable, (but not unlimited) financial model. In retrospect, it has taken me longer than I expected to realise the scale of the problem and hence the challenge you gave me in early 2008.

The Wallabies overall underperformance since the Eddie Jones era, peppered by the odd stand out performances such as the comprehensive defeat of the current world champions in Brisbane this year. It is now clear to me that I misinterpreted and misdiagnosed the team’s overall performance. In hindsight, and having worked through all the typical sporting team malaises such as lack of fitness, loss of form, rebuilding, re-skilling, lack of concentration or combinations taking time to click, the players words and actions don’t match. In the past 21 months myself and the coaching team removed all other excuses and now realise that the Wallabies players are simply not behaving or playing like a team that was representing its country. The current players don’t care enough. They are encouraged to take this attitude by the CEO of RUPA.

With two years until the RWC 2011, it is time to return to the basics of national team that is built around an important, common goal, a never say die competitive nature and overwhelming pride in both the jersey and being given the opportunity to represent one’s country.

Assumptions:
1. If a player is not part of the solution, i.e. not adding to the new culture, he will not be selected until he shows that he is part of the solution.
2. New players will continue to be given their chance to show that they have the necessary attitude.
3. You are only as good as your last game.
Finally, I am still of the opinion that we can win the RWC in 2011 but we will only do it if the culture changes. To that end, I am proposing to take what some might consider drastic steps to remove the old culture.

I again confirm my full commitment to the ARU and the Wallabies.

Here is the squad that will most likely step onto the plane to Japan.

Regards,

Robbie Deans
CC David Nucifora

Back three
1 James O’Connor (Western Force), Yes
2 Lachie Turner (NSW Waratahs), Yes
3 Kurtley Beale (NSW Waratahs), Yes
4 Drew Mitchell (Western Force), no
5 Digby Ioane (Queensland Reds), yes
6 Nick Cummins (Western Force), yes
7 Peter Hynes (Queensland Reds), Yes
Centres
8 Ryan Cross (Western Force), Yes
9 Stirling Mortlock (Brumbies), no (replace with Tom Carter)
10 Rob Horne (NSW Waratahs), Yes
11 Adam Ashley-Cooper (Brumbies), Yes
Fly halves
12 Matt Giteau (Western Force), No
13 Quade Cooper (Queensland Reds), Yes
14 Berrick Barnes (Queensland Reds), Yes
Half backs
15 Josh Valentine (Western Force), No
16 Will Genia (Queensland Reds), Yes
17 Luke Burgess (NSW Waratahs), Yes
18 Richard Kingi (Queensland Reds), Yes
Backrows
19 Wycliff Palu (NSW Waratahs), yes
20 George Smith (Brumbies), No
21 David Pocock (Western Force), yes
22 Phil Waugh (NSW Waratahs), Yes, dirt-tracker captain
23 Stephen Hoiles (Brumbies), Yes
24 Matt Hodgson (Western Force), Yes
25 Rocky Elsom (Brumbies), Yes Captain
26 Dean Mumm (NSW Waratahs), Yes
27 Richard Brown (Western Force), Yes
28 Mitchell Chapman (Brumbies), Yes
Locks
29 Ben McCalman (Sydney University, unsigned), Yes
30 Mark Chisholm (Brumbies), No
31 James Horwill (Queensland Reds), Yes
32 Nathan Sharpe (Western Force), no
33 Dave Dennis (NSW Waratahs), Yes
Props
34 Al Baxter (NSW Waratahs), No
35 Matt Dunning (NSW Waratahs), No
36 Pekahou Cowan (Western Force), yes
37 Sekope Kepu (NSW Waratahs), Yes
38 Salesi Ma’afu (Brumbies), yes
39 Ben Alexander (Brumbies), Yes
40 Benn Robinson (NSW Waratahs), Yes
Hookers
41 Damien Fitzpatrick (NSW Waratahs), Yes
42 Stephen Moore (Brumbies), Yes
43 Tatafu Polota-Nau (NSW Waratahs), Yes

There are parts of this suggestion I like, especially those bits which jettison EVERY non-performing incumbent. But Carter in?, what has this bloke done to fool the rugby spectator. And after this morning McCalman needn't check to see if his passport's still current, there was for too much standing and looking rather than hard work at the tackle.

 

[Spook]

Shit article IMO. LeftArmSpinner at his finest.

 

[mark_s]

I think the give away that this article is BS is the fact that Carter is a yes

 

[waratahjesus]

carter should be a yes, we have 20 backs all the same, tom cater offers something different, what we have isnt working, tom carter is a workhorse!

carter = awesome,
its simple maths

 

[MrTimms]

Squads announced.

Player Position Super 14 Team Age Test Caps
Ben Alexander Prop Brumbies 24 13
Adam Ashley-Cooper Fullback-Wing Brumbies 25 32
**Berrick Barnes Inside centre-Flyhalf Queensland Reds 23 21
Kurtley Beale Flyhalf/Fullback NSW Waratahs 20 Uncapped
Richard Brown No 8/Loose Forward Western Force 25 11
Luke Burgess Halfback NSW Waratahs 26 19
Mitchell Chapman Blindside Flanker Brumbies 26 Uncapped
Mark Chisholm Lock Brumbies 28 43
Quade Cooper Flyhalf Queensland Reds 21 7
Pekahou Cowan Prop Western Force 23 3
Ryan Cross Centre Western Force 30 15
Dave Dennis Lock NSW Waratahs 23 Uncapped
Matt Dunning Prop Western Force 30 43
*Rocky Elsom Flanker Brumbies 26 44
Will Genia Halfback Queensland Reds 21 6
Matt Giteau Flyhalf Western Force 27 73
Matt Hodgson Loose forward Western Force 27 Uncapped
Rob Horne Centre NSW Waratahs 20 Uncapped
James Horwill Lock Queensland Reds 24 19
Peter Hynes Wing Queensland Reds 27 17
Digby Ioane Wing/Centre Queensland Reds 24 4
Sekope Kepu Prop NSW Waratahs 23 2
Richard Kingi Halfback Queensland Reds 20 Uncapped
Salesi Ma’afu Prop Brumbies 26 Uncapped
Drew Mitchell Wing/Fullback Western Force 25 37
Stephen Moore Hooker Brumbies 26 41
Stirling Mortlock Centre Brumbies 32 80
Dean Mumm Lock/Loose-forward NSW Waratahs 25 15
James O’Connor Fullback Western Force 19 10
Wycliff Palu No 8 NSW Waratahs 27 31
David Pocock Flanker Western Force 21 11
Tatafu Polota-Nau Hooker NSW Waratahs 24 18
Benn Robinson Prop NSW Waratahs 25 26
George Smith Flanker Brumbies 29 105
Lachie Turner Wing/Fullback NSW Waratahs 22 11

* = captain
** = vice captain

 

[Spook]

No Baxter
No Waugh
No Holies

Kingi and Dennis are the bolters.

Deans has gone with youth. Excellent.

 

[Ash]

And no third hooker. Cowan or Dunning?

 

[Spook]

And no third hooker. Cowan or Dunning?

Wasn't Cowan cross-training? We can only hope TPN and Moore stay fit.

 

[Spook]

Only three guys over 30 (Morty/Cross/Dunning).

 

[mark_s]

Obviously Elsom as Captain is no shock, but I wonder if this means that Smith might not start some games?

 

[Spook]

I don't think Pocock is a better 7 yet....but he is getting better all the time.

 

[waratahjesus]

pocock still remains the most overrated player in the wallaby set up, if he gets picked ahead of smith were in alot of trouble moving forward.

 

[fatprop]

Pocock will only be selected to start if Brown and Palu fail.

 

[mark_s]

Pocock will only be selected to start if Brown and Palu fail again.

 

[Newb]

what must dave dennis be thinking right now??? from unknown to .... unknown and touring with the wallabies.

would have preferred to see fitzpatrick get the bolter spot instead as i think it's better used with him, but he'll get his shot yet.