When is the side named?
I see we're using the prostate cancer "blue balls" again (I couldn't think of a way to put that without sounding suss). Last time we played with the blue balls (again, nothing suss) we beat the Boks. This is a clear sign that we're gonna bash the sheepshaggers.
Wobs by 15.
Wallabies
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Wallabies winger Drew Mitchell ruled out of Saturday's Bledisloe Cup Test
By Ed Jackson
September 08, 2010
Wallabies winger Drew Mitchell has been ruled out of Saturday night's Bledisloe Cup Test against New Zealand after succumbing to a hamstring injury.
Mitchell suffered the injury in the build-up to his try in the second half of last weekend's 41-39 win over South Africa in Bloemfontein.
While the injury isn't believed to be serious, he was ruled out on Wednesday for the final Tri Nations match of the year.
The Wallabies are not going to call any more players into their squad, with Peter Hynes fit and available for selection after missing the two-week tour of South Africa.
Hynes will battle for Mitchell's No.11 jersey with New South Wales Waratahs’ flier Lachie Turner, Western Force star Nick Cummins and Brumbies rookie Pat McCabe.
Cameron Shepherd could also come into consideration as he recovers from a groin injury.
Mitchell's fellow winger, James O'Connor, says the dramatic win over the Springboks had the Wallabies primed to end their nine-Test losing streak to the All Blacks.
"We definitely took a lot of confidence out of the game," O'Connor said.
"We stuck to the game-plan like we wanted to and finishing off that game, getting the win, was big for our confidence."
The Wallabies team to play New Zealand will be named on Thursday.
"he was ruled out on Wednesday for the final Tri Nations match of the year."
So there will be no Hong Kong Bled?
The Hong Kong match is not and never was a Tri-Nations match. It could hardly even be called a Bledisloe Cup test as that trophy was secure some weeks ago in Christchuch. :yay
ARU are expecting 66-67'000 for the Bledisloe in Sydney, not a bad turn out really, if they had lost last weekend im sure the figure would have been closer to 50'000
muttonbird is correct, Hong Kong test match isnt a Tri-Nations game, how would that be fair to South Africa having Aus and NZ playing a extra game?????
ARU are expecting 66-67'000 for the Bledisloe in Sydney, not a bad turn out really, if they had lost last weekend im sure the figure would have been closer to 50'000
Backline defence concerns me. Out of our seven starting backs we have four that may be fantastic attackers and also able to pull off a decent tackle but are not consistently good defenders. Those four being
Cooper
Beale
Mitchell
O'Connor
Leaving only
Gateau
Genia
AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper)
As the only consistently reliable defenders in the backline. Should we want to hide the odd liability in defence, we can't as we have no real means of doing it with over half our backline considered unreliable in defence. Taking one of these players and replacing them with a more reliable defender would restore more balance and make it much more practical to implement a more solid defensive strategy. The easy yards our backs leak is a concern as it is going to lead to the potential for our forwards to burn out prematurely.
Hynes to come onto the wing and O'Connor to go onto the bench for Fainga'a. Hynes will provide safe hands to assist Beale in handling any threat of a high ball and also open the option of defending in the line for Cooper freeing him up to link up with Beale in counter attack.