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Wallabies world cup squad selection

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Joe Blow

Joe Blow

John Hipwell (52)
fatprop said:
You must have been watching different games, from what I have seen so far Vickerman hasn't been up to scratch, either for the Wallabies or Uni.
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I did not see the Uni game.
The question stands, who would you take as the 4th lock instead?
 
qwerty51

qwerty51

Stirling Mortlock (74)
I don't. I think he's our best centre. No stranger than Palu, TPN, Slipper being touted as assured squad members.
 
Joe Blow

Joe Blow

John Hipwell (52)
I guess Deans is thinking that if AAC (Adam Ashley-Cooper) does not find form he does not have an alternative 13 in the squad.
McCabe or Ioane could fill the position but they are not specialists.
Horne is going to be seriously under done and still has it all to prove at test level.

P.S.He doesn't seem to rate Fainga'a at 13
 
tigerland12

tigerland12

John Thornett (49)
tranquility said:
Don't get me wrong, I rate the bloke. But as he not done much at that level, and has done nothing this year - it sends a very strange message especially if he doesn't perform.
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Agree with this 100% but we will see, Deans is never shy of making odd selections
 
W

waves

Guest
Vickerman will definately be there and also Rob Horne if he pulls through the next few matches without being injured his the only other specialist 13 in Australian Rugby, personally don't think Deans will risk anyone else there. Fainga'a has had experience at 13 during the Super season and played well but as we found out last weekend Test Rugby is another big step up question is Horne ready ? I also think the 30 man World Cup Squad is just about picked, from all reports the injured players are on track and will be considered for selection although the only worries are Drew Mitchell, Benn Robinson and Wycliff Palu.

Note: People in brackets considered.

Props:
Sekope Kepu, James Slipper, Ben Alexander, Benn Robinson (Pek Cowan, Salesi Ma'afu)
Hookers:
Stephen Moore, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Saia Fainga'a (James Hanson)
Locks:
Rob Simmons, Nathan Sharpe, Dan Vickerman, James Horwill (Sitaleki Timani)
Backrow:
Scott Higginbotham, Rocky Elsom, David Pocock, Matt Hodgson, Ben McCalman, Wycliff Palu (Radike Samo, Beau Robinson)
Halfs:
Will Genia, Luke Burgess (Nick Phipps)
Five-Eights:
Quade Cooper, Berrick Barnes (Matt Giteau)
Inside Backs:
Pat McCabe, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Rob Horne, Anthony Fainga'a
Outside Backs:
Digby Ioane, Kurtley Beale, James O'Connor, Drew Mitchell, Lachie Turner (Mark Gerrard)
 
T

tranquility

Guest
Luke Morahan? I hope that Radike is ahead of McCalman and Palu after this weekend.
 
W

waves

Guest
Yeah sorry edited in Gerrard forgot he was there would rather him than Moranhan or Davies but overall we don't look like changing many players in the top 30.
 
fatprop

fatprop

George Gregan (70)
Staff member
Good piece from Iain Payten

How the Wallabies' World Cup squad is shaping

Iain Payten
From: The Daily Telegraph
August 12, 2011 12:00AM

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Adam Ashley-Cooper

Centre certainty: Adam Ashley-Cooper. Source: Getty Images

JETLAG couldn't have come at a better time for Robbie Deans.After crossing half the globe from New Zealand to South Africa this week, the Wallabies coach has been waking up at 3am and churning through DVDs of Sydney and Brisbane club rugby.

He's had a phone in his hand as well, checking in with medical staff, injured players and the strength and conditioning coaches back in Australia trying to get key players back on the field.

Somehow, amid all that, Deans has to prepare the Wallabies squad to meet the Springboks on Sunday morning (AEST) in Durban.

In fact, scratch the jetlag. That would require sleep.

Forget the countdown to the World Cup kickoff, the faster-approaching deadline to finalise the Wallabies' 30-man squad is behind Deans' "sleepless nights".

Due to IRB regulations, all competing nations have to provide a squad by August 18. It can then only be altered by a serious, tournament-ending injury. That's next Thursday, six days and counting.


Many of Deans' spots are filled, but many are not.

The pressing concern for him is decisions he must make on injured stars who would normally be automatic choices but will only make their returns after the squad is announced.Winger Drew Mitchell (ankle), No.8 Wycliff Palu (shoulder), prop James Slipper (ankle) and Tatafu Polota-Nau (hooker) are all on track to be fit when the tournament kicks off. But they are not slated to play a game until the Australian Barbarians meet Canada on August 26.

Leaps of faith have happened before - Stephen Larkham carried a broken thumb into 1999 - but the trust has never had to stretch so far.

Given they are potential starters, it is expected all will be picked based on reputation and the advice of medical staff.

Deans and staff have been tracking the players' fitness programs via GPS monitoring.

Though Mitchell won't play until Saturday week at the earliest, he will be the last piece in the puzzle after a tailormade rehab process on his broken ankle.

"I have been getting through a Test-intensity week of training this week," Mitchell said yesterday.

"I've got one more day to go. Getting up off the ground, the sprints, shuttles, that sort of thing. Just putting volume in the leg and pushing through the fatigue.

"It'd obviously be good to have played a game but it is just a matter of doing what we've been asked."

The injured troops are not the only ones keeping fingers crossed. With few spots left, several Wallabies not on tour in South Africa are hoping their club form can impress. Matt Giteau and Berrick Barnes remain right in the hunt, as do centre Rob Horne and halfback Nick Phipps.

The hopes of others in the 40-man squad are fading.

Here is how the squad is shaping up.

Fullback

ONE spot, and only one man possible. There's plenty of back-up in the wing stocks.



In: Beale

Gone: Gerrard

Wingers

BARRING hiccups, Mitchell will return. Turner's hopes may rest on whether Deans takes three or four wingers.

In: O'Connor, Ioane

Probable: Mitchell

Possible: Turner

Gone: Davies, Morahan

Centres

THE Test pairing are secure but the two back-up spots are hotly fought. Anthony Fainga'a is battling late charges from Rob Horne and Berrick Barnes, and Matt Giteau is included here as well. Deans likes Horne but Barnes and Giteau provide playmaker cover.

In: Ashley-Cooper, McCabe

Possibles: Fainga'a, Barnes, Horne, Giteau

Five-eighths

COOPER is a certainty but the big question is whether Deans takes Giteau as cover or relies on Beale and O'Connor.

In: Cooper

Possible: Giteau

Halfbacks

DEANS is weighing up whether to take two or three halfbacks, and Nick Phipps is the man who'll win or lose.

In: Genia, Burgess

Possible: Phipps

Back-row

HOW many are taken depends on whether Deans takes a 17-13 split.

David Pocock, Rocky Elsom and Scott Higginbotham are certainties. Wycliff Palu is another who'll go if fit, leaving Ben McCalman and Matt Hodgson to fight over a spot. The latter may win the fight due to his No.7 experience.

In: Pocock, Elsom, Higginbotham.

Probable: Palu

Possibles: McCalman, Hodgson

Gone: Beau Robinson, Dennis

Locks

HORWILL and Simmons are safe. Nathan Sharpe and Dan Vickerman's experience counts, but will Deans risk the rawness of Sitaleki Timani for his power? Will Radike Samo sweep in as back-row/lock cover? Dean Mumm's rib injury has likely cost him.

In: Horwill, Simmons

Probables: Sharpe, Vickerman

Possibles: Timani, Samo.

Gone: Mumm

Front-row

LOCK in Stephen Moore, Tatafu Polota-Nau and Saia Fainga'a as hookers. Ben Alexander, Sekope Kepu, James Slipper are likely, with Salesi Ma'afu in the mix and Ben Daley still hopeful. Benn Robinson's hopes are fading.

In: Moore, Polota-Nau, Fainga'a, Alexander, Kepu

Probable: Slipper, Ma'afu

Possible: Daley, Robinson, Cowan

Gone: Baxter, Hanson
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Groucho

Groucho

Greg Davis (50)
tranquility said:
Don't get me wrong, I rate the bloke. But as he not done much at that level, and has done nothing this year - it sends a very strange message especially if he doesn't perform.
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I don't think being on message is the most important thing now. A genuinely fit Horne is as important as TPN.
 
N

Nelse

Chris McKivat (8)
Apparently, Benn Robinson will be out of selection ad is now supposed to be having surgery on Monday. He's been told that it will be a 5 month recovery, and is now going to be concentrating on getting ready by the start of the Super season next year.

Doctors yesterday pretty much said "No chance" about the Cup and operating properly without surgery.

Sort of expected but still a crushing blow for the bloke after he was given the initial hope of recovery
 
Riptide

Riptide

Dave Cowper (27)
Very disappointed Beau is no longer regarded as a possible squad member. There really is nobody who can cover for Pocock, but Beau is certainly his best understudy in my opinion.
 
B

Braveheart.

Guest
Nelse said:
Apparently, Benn Robinson will be out of selection ad is now supposed to be having surgery on Monday. He's been told that it will be a 5 month recovery, and is now going to be concentrating on getting ready by the start of the Super season next year.

Doctors yesterday pretty much said "No chance" about the Cup and operating properly without surgery.

Sort of expected but still a crushing blow for the bloke after he was given the initial hope of recovery
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Bad news. Hardly suprising but a huge blow for the FAT CAT.
 
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