Wallabies announced

[RugbyReg]

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/wallaby-squad-announced/

 

[Grandmaster Flash]

Hmmm would have like to have seen Houston at least in the Baabaas.

 

[Running Rugby]

No Ben Mowen???

 

[DPK]

I though Hynes would be busy in the sprint team?

 

[RugbyReg]

Australia:

Ben Alexander, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Berrick Barnes, Kurtley Beale, Richard Brown, Luke Burgess, Mark Chisholm, Quade Cooper, Pekahou Cowan, Ben Daley, Rocky Elsom, Huia Edmonds, Saia Fainga'a, Will Genia, Matt Giteau, Stephen Hoiles, Matt Hodgson, Rob Horne, Peter Hynes, Digby Ioane, Salesi Ma’afu, Drew Mitchell, Dean Mumm, James O’Connor, David Pocock, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Nathan Sharpe, Lachie Turner, Josh Valentine, Laurie Weeks.

Australian Barbarians:

Will Chambers, Mitchell Chapman, Nick Cummins, Kane Douglas, Anthony Fainga'a, Damien Fitzpatrick, Ben McCalman, Pat McCutcheon, Rob Simmons, James Slipper.

great work for James Slipper. Glad we signed him this week.

 

[fatprop]

So, how long until Moore is back?

Tatafu Polota-Nau has Robbie Deans facing big Wallabies dilemma

By Wayne Smith
May 27, 2010

Wallabies hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau's injury is more complicated than first thought, making Robbie Deans choose between losing him or playing him for reducing returns.

If Polota-Nau's problems extended no further than his unstable shoulder, the worst-case scenario probably would be he would miss June's Tests against Fiji, England and Ireland but then return for the Tri-Nations starting with the July 24 Brisbane Test against South Africa.

But it understood he also has been troubled by painful bone spurs in his foot and ankle. Neither injury, of itself, has brought him to a halt but there are growing concerns that because he is severely limited in what weight and fitness training he can manage, he is running the risk of picking up an entirely new and major injury.

Ankle surgery would sideline him for six weeks, which raises the question of whether he should also have his shoulder problem attended to at the same time, even if that puts him out for the rest of the year.

The upside would be Polota-Nau then would have an uninterrupted lead-in to 2011's World Cup. By keeping him ticking over now, the Wallabies could run the risk of losing a world-class player just when they need him most in 2011.

Deans almost certainly will name Queensland Reds' Saia Fainga'a and Huia Edmonds of the Brumbies as his hookers in the 30-man Test squad, with young New South Wales Waratahs player Damian Fitzpatrick contending for the Australian Barbarians side to play England in two midweek games.

Whichever of that trio of hookers comes through the next month most creditably is likely to be retained in the Tri Nations 22 once Stephen Moore returns from his broken jaw.

Moore was confident he would be able to play one or possibly two club matches before the series opener against South Africa.

One player whose name will not feature in any Wallabies list this season is former captain Stirling Mortlock, who was released from hospital on Wednesday after surgery to cut away part of a spinal disc that was pressing on a nerve, sending pain through his lower back and legs.

"That's probably written me off the rest of the year, including the spring tour, but I'm very confident I'll be right for next year," Mortlock said.

"That gives me a great opportunity to build up for next year with Melbourne Rebels.

"And obviously next year brings the World Cup which hopefully would be the perfect way for me to finish off my international career."

But such is the talent Deans is assembling Mortlock might need to bounce back to his very best if he is to add to his tally of 80 Tests.

Indeed, former All Blacks coach John Mitchell made the extraordinary claim that Australia's World Cup squad is shaping up better than New Zealand's.

"Australia probably has more depth than it has ever had while the All Blacks' depth is the lowest it has been for a long while," Western Force coach Mitchell said.

"One year out from a World Cup, who would have thought Australia's base would be superior?"

But Mitchell, speaking from the harsh experience of the 2003 World Cup when key injuries left his All Blacks badly exposed, warned that weakness in even one position could bring the Wallabies undone.

"There is not a lot of depth at nine (halfback)," Mitchell said.

"That affects the game and the game plan."

As worrying as is the drop-off in standard from Will Genia to the next-best No.9, more worrying still is the lack of back-up for Nathan Sharpe in the second row.

The return in 2011 from a knee reconstruction of James Horwill will ease some of those concerns, but the really exciting news for Australia is that it now seems certain Dan Vickerman will figure in Australia's World Cup plans, even if he takes no part in 2011's Super 15.

 

[JJJ]

What's the story with the bit about Vickerman they tacked on at the end there? Have I missed all the Vickerman-is-coming-back articles??

Losing TPN would suck, but best to fix it now before it becomes a bigger issue. We still have Moore, and a few hookers who could be decent back-up.

 

[scrubber]

Australia:

Ben Alexander, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Berrick Barnes, Kurtley Beale, Richard Brown, Luke Burgess, Mark Chisholm, Quade Cooper, Pekahou Cowan, Ben Daley, Rocky Elsom, Huia Edmonds, Saia Fainga'a, Will Genia, Matt Giteau, Stephen Hoiles, Matt Hodgson, Rob Horne, Peter Hynes, Digby Ioane, Salesi Ma’afu, Drew Mitchell, Dean Mumm, James O’Connor, David Pocock, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Nathan Sharpe, Lachie Turner, Josh Valentine, Laurie Weeks.

Australian Barbarians:

Will Chambers, Mitchell Chapman, Nick Cummins, Kane Douglas, Anthony Fainga'a, Damien Fitzpatrick, Ben McCalman, Pat McCutcheon, Rob Simmons, James Slipper.

great work for James Slipper. Glad we signed him this week.

Great stuff for Chambers, Daley, Simmons and Slipper - last 3 are all young goers and terrific to get chance of higher honours

 

[Aussie D]

How in the world did Hoiles make it back into the Wallaby mix? Hasn't Robbie learnt from the past. Super rugby (especially with this year's rules) suits him, he is not up to test rugby as at that level you need more graft than fancy ball players in the forwards. The same goes for Edmonds - the bloke struggled to make the bench for an underperforming Stormers team for 3 years and now is in the Wallabies :nta:

Glad to see a lot of young players in there and some of the dead wood cleared away.

 

[fatprop]

LHP
Pekahou Cowan
Ben Daley

THP
Ben Alexander
Salesi Ma’afu
Laurie Weeks

Hooker
Huia Edmonds
Saia Fainga'a
Tatafu Polota-Nau

Locks
Mark Chisholm
Dean Mumm
Nathan Sharpe
6
Rocky Elsom

7
Matt Hodgson
David Pocock

8
Richard Brown
Stephen Hoiles

9
Luke Burgess
Will Genia
Josh Valentine

10
Quade Cooper
Matt Giteau

11
Peter Hynes
Digby Ioane

12
Berrick Barnes

13
Rob Horne
Adam Ashley-Cooper


14
Drew Mitchell
Lachie Turner

15
Kurtley Beale
James O’Connor

Interesting squad, who is going to get the go forward?

 

[Ash]

Can we make a list of who missed out that some tipped to be there?

Baxter, Davies, Douglas, Houston, Holmes, Humphries, Inman (was impressive I thought), Mowen, To'omua (thought he may be considered for the Baabaas), Shepherd, Waugh

Not so surprising:
Cross, Dunning, Fairbrother, Mortlock

Any others?

How about who was not considered due to injury?

Higginbotham, Palu, Robinson, ?

PS and congrats to Cutch Jnr as well!

 

[Newb]

is davies still recovering? no way cummins should have made it over him otherwise. feel bad for ben mowen. he was really looking good.

i don't have much faith in edmonds but i can see why he made it. taking wittaker may have made for one too many young hookers with Fainga'a there already. thought douglas might have made it over chis too. mccabe missing too. agree with To'omua and inman as well.

i guess deans really is sticking with his investments.

 

[Ash]

Interesting squad, who is going to get the go forward?

I think the backs are fine in that regard, but not so the forwards.

Forwards: TPN (out injured?), Elsom, Pocock, ?. Some others can carry, but not destructively.

Backs: AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper), Ioane, Horne are all strong in traffic, as is Hynes and Mitchell to lesser extents.

Bit of a shame A. Fainga'a missed the main squad, but they're loaded on inside backs and inside back cover with Cooper, Barnes, Giteau, Beale and J'OC.

 

[runsonrum]

is it time for Waugh to take care of his superannuation with a few years in Europe?

 

[Running Rugby]

I imagine that To'omua was not considered for the Barbarians squad due to his U/20's rep duties. I think we will see him on the EOYT.

 

[waratahjesus]

is it time for Waugh to take care of his superannuation with a few years in Europe?

e is being rumoured to captain the baa baas, one injury to pocock or hodgson and he is a vital element again.

 

[Viking]

Selection of cummins annoys me! I know Rod Davies is injured, but what about McCabe. He was rookie of the year and looked much better then cummins. Other surprise selection was hoiles but i guess its justified with Palu and higgenbothem out injured. Also would have loved to see To'omua in the baabaa's squad. Thats really my only dissappointments.

Hope A.Fainga can step up and push for selection in the main squad. Its very possible I think he just has to show he's more versatile, he didnt get a chance to show his kicking ability at the reds (hope he has some), and in my eyes he should have the skills to cover 13 and maybe 15 too. This would warrant a bench spot in the main squad.

 

[Viking]

I imagine that To'omua was not considered for the Barbarians squad due to his U/20's rep duties. I think we will see him on the EOYT.

Yeh i think the squad would be looking a bit different on the EOYT with all the injuries. But looking at how good the squad looks dispite all the injuries makes me think we will have a pretty damn good side come RWC.

 

[cyclopath]

Hoiles is not justified for mine. He has repeatedly failed at Test level despite good Super rugby form. I would rather have seen Houston than him. I think Robbie might be able to get Houston's best out of him, and he has the potential to be good, where Hoiles does not.
Cummins? No, there are others more deserving.
Douglas unlucky to miss the main squad, but in BBs at least.
Also surprised to not see Mowen in there somewhere.
Mostly predicatble though.
Scrum could be dusty though.

 

[Scarfman]

Brown and Hoiles instead of Mowen and Houston. Robbie Deans either knows more than everyone on this board or less.

A couple of wow! selections in Chisholm and Cummins, too.

I really have never understood what Robbie is trying to do. Not ever. And I don't understand what he says either.