Tri Nations - AUS v SAF 23rd July 2011.

[tigerland12]

What time is the team getting announced? I'm very interested to see who gets selected

 

[Tiger]

11.30am. Foxsports.com.au is showing the announcement live as well

 

[barbarian]

My surprises:

Simmons over Sharpe, McCalman over Higgers and Samo.

Pretty good side other than that though.

 

[Lance Free]

The Wallaby team for Saturday has been named:

15. Kurtley Beale (NSW Waratahs)
14. James O’Connor (Western Force)
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper (Brumbies)
12. Pat McCabe (Brumbies)
11. Digby Ioane (Queensland Reds)
10. Quade Cooper (Queensland Reds)
9. Will Genia (Queensland Reds)
8. Ben McCalman (Western Force)
7. David Pocock (Western Force)
6. Rocky Elsom (Brumbies, captain)
5. James Horwill (Queensland Reds)
4. Rob Simmons (Queensland Reds)
3. Ben Alexander (Brumbies)
2. Stephen Moore (Brumbies)
1. Sekope Kepu (NSW Waratahs)

Run on Reserves:

16. Saia Fainga’a (Queensland Reds)
17. Pekahou Cowan (Western Force)
18. Nathan Sharpe (Western Force)
19. Matt Hodgson (Western Force)
20. Scott Higginbotham (Queensland Reds)
21. Nick Phipps (Melbourne Rebels)
22. Anthony Fainga’a (Queensland Reds)

 

[MrTimms]

Looking forward to seeing Pat McCabe outside Quade. I think he will do a good job.

Still disappointed the props are the wrong way around.

 

[Joe Blow]

That can be a good scrum.
McCabe showed enough that he may be the hard running/tackling 12 we are looking for.

No Samo?

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Wow, I'm a bit surprised by a few of those calls:

- No Gits in the 22
- Sharpie on the bench
- McCabe and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) retained in the centres
- No Samo in the 22

It is without question a better looking line up though.

 

[Ash]

Some shocks for me there:
No Gits, McCabe and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) centre pairing remains (not sold on this combo yet)
Simmons over Sharpe
Alexander keeps his spot
McCalman lucky as well there. Samo bit unlucky to not make the squad
A. Finger gets the lone bench spot, but really every spot is covered in the backline thanks to J'OC, AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) and Beale

PS When did Higgers join the Force?

 

[fatprop]

No Gits, wow

 

[Ash]

And agree the line up definitely looks better than last week.

 

[Godfrey]

I think Fainga'a works on the bench with that midfield as that backline can pretty much reshuffle in any combination.

 

[Richard D. James]

Much better line up.

No Gits, big call but needed to be made. Hopefully QC (Quade Cooper) and McCabe/AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) have been running moves all week and getting in sync with each other.

 

[Lee Enfield]

Overall a pretty good team, no excuses for anything other than a blistering performance on Saturday night, I am going and I am pumped to the max. Would have liked to have seen, Samo at 8 over McCalman, Baxter at 3 over Alexander, Holmes/Daley at 17 over Cowan, Robinson at 19 over Hodgson.
I take it TPN is still not available, if he was, he should have been an automatic selection.
Did Giteau's performance or lack there of on Sunday finally opened Deans' eyes that there is no place for him in the 22, especially when there are better options available.
I think McCabe and AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) deserve a shot outside of a world class 9/10 combination, I am certain AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) will come good outside of Genia/Cooper, McCabe is worth the gamble. For me, A.Fainga'a should be the starting 12 going forward to the RWC with McCabe on the bench if he proves his worth on Saturday.

 

[Riptide]

Disappointed Ben Alexander is in there but delighted Simmons/Horwill locking combination in going against the Boks.

 

[S120]

Thank fuck, no Giteau. Let's hope that stays on. Sounds like KB (Kurtley Beale) and JOC (James O'Connor) are the preferred back up 10 options until Barnes gets back (if indeed he does).

 

[tranquility]

This is why I like Robbie, he has guts.

There were probably easier sides he could have picked (less controversial) however I think that minus maybe Samo, that is the strongest side available at this stage of the campaign.

 

[Scotty]

If you include Quade, there are 5 players that have played fullback in the 7 man backline!

I expect Ioane to defend closer in. Hopefully with Beale and Cooper doing a double team (switching wing/fb in defense - depending on the play) at the back. Imagine those three blokes running back at you!

 

[tigerland12]

I'm pretty happy with that side. Simmons over Sharpe
is a bit strange, Simmo is good enough to start but Sharpie is all class. Simmons tight work and line out jumping must of got him the nod, he deserves it, most underrated player in Australia

Hodgson over Robinson on the ench simply because of his versatility.

McCabe ran strong against Samoa, definatly deserved his selection over Giteau

 

[Godfrey]

I like the idea of a work horse like McCalman slugging it out for 60 then Higgers coming on and focussing on the wider running game. That being said, McCalman isn't all that much better (in terms of impact) than Brown and in my book and I would far prefer a player like Samo.

 

[Joe Blow]

I agree it is a good thing that Gits is not there. It is about time.
However, it was a tough day at the office for him behind a pack that was raped at the breakdown and with a half back that was lost at that level.
So, if he is not injured it is wrong for him to shoulder all of the blame.
There are a few names that appear on the team list that could also have taken a fall.
Anyway, it looks like a very competitive side.