Friday’s Rugby News sees the Scotland squad announced, Karmichael looking to 2019, the Waratahs on Super Rugby, and Coleman going to you-know-where.
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Late to the Party
Yep, it’s almost become a habit that, just before I publish the Friday News, the Wallaby squad is dropped. So this time I planned ahead, and low and behold, Scotland release their squad first instead. Go figure.
There will be four changes to the side that nearly beat the All Blacks, with Sean Maitland, Grant Gilchrist, Ryan Wilson and Simon Berghan all set to don the famous navy blue jersey.
“It’s moving on – we play the current number three team in the world – arguably the best attacking team in the world,” coach Gregor Townsend said to rugby.com.au.
“Australia beat New Zealand a few weeks ago, they were very good against Wales and had a lot of the game on a wet day against England, so we know we are playing one of the form teams in the world right now. If we drop our standards we are not going to win.
“We’ve got to have the same endeavour, the same mind-set, the defensive performance in the first half especially, and what we did in the second half attack-wise – and then take it to another level.”
Scotland Squad:
1. Darryl Marfo (Edinburgh) 2 caps
2. Stuart McInally (Edinburgh) 11 caps
3. Simon Berghan (Edinburgh) 4 caps
4. Grant Gilchrist (Edinburgh) 17 caps
5. Jonny Gray (Glasgow Warriors) 37 caps
6. John Barclay (Scarlets) 65 caps
7. Hamish Watson (Edinburgh) 14 caps
8. Ryan Wilson (Glasgow Warriors) 31 caps
9. Ali Price (Glasgow Warriors) 10 caps
10. Finn Russell (Glasgow Warriors) 31 caps
11. Sean Maitland (Saracens) 28 caps
12. Alex Dunbar (Glasgow Warriors) 28 caps
13. Huw Jones (Glasgow Warriors) 10 caps
14. Tommy Seymour (Glasgow Warriors) 38 caps
15. Stuart Hogg (Glasgow Warriors) 55 caps
Substitutes
16. Fraser Brown (Glasgow Warriors) 28 caps
17. Jamie Bhatti (Glasgow Warriors) 2 caps
18. Zander Fagerson (Glasgow Warriors) 14 caps
19. Ben Toolis (Edinburgh) 6 caps
20. Cornell du Preez (Edinburgh) 4 caps
21. Henry Pyrgos (Glasgow Warriors) 26 caps
22. Pete Horne (Glasgow Warriors) 27 caps
23. Byron McGuigan (Sale Sharks) 1 cap
Meanwhile, the Wallabies have, as of late on Thursday night, still not released their squad.
UPDATE: Wallabies squad to face Scotland
1. Scott Sio (42 Tests)
2. Stephen Moore (128 Tests)
3. Sekope Kepu (90 Tests)
4. Rob Simmons (81 Tests)
5. Blake Enever (1 Test)
6. Ben McCalman (52 Tests)
7. Michael Hooper (c) (78 Tests)
8. Sean McMahon (25 Tests)
9. Will Genia (vc) (87 Tests)
10. Bernard Foley (vc) (54 Tests)
11. Reece Hodge (23 Tests)
12. Samu Kerevi (17 Tests)
13. Tevita Kuridrani (57 Tests)
14. Marika Koroibete (7 Tests)
15. Kurtley Beale (70 Tests)
Reserves
16. Tatafu Polota-Nau (81 Tests)
17. Tetera Faulkner (3 Tests)
18. Taniela Tupou*
19. Lukhan Tui (3 Tests)
20. Lopeti Timani (11 Tests)
21. Nick Phipps (61 Tests)
22. Karmichael Hunt (5 Tests)
23. Henry Speight (18 Tests)
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Hunting for Bill
Karmichael Hunt has reaffirmed his commitment to the QRU, signings with the Reds for another two years. The move guarantees he is in the mix for the Wallaby squad come 2019.
“It’s been a big year for me personally, obviously making my Wallabies debut was a huge honour but I really enjoyed getting some really solid minutes up in Queensland with the Reds,” he said to rugby.com.au.
“I’m really enjoying my time in Rugby. There have been some challenges but I’ve been loving the journey to now.”
Currently on tour with the Wallabies has also provided a lot of perspective to him on rugby, especially in regards to the scope of the game worldwide. The things playing league and AFL does to you.
“The Spring Tour has opened my eyes a bit to how big the game is in the Northern Hemisphere. The atmosphere at Twickenham last Saturday was up with the best I have ever experienced.
“I definitely have my eyes on the 2019 World Cup in Japan. I think this Wallabies group is building something special and it’s something I really want to be part of.
“I’m looking forward to getting stuck in with Thorny (Brad Thorn) next year at the Reds too. We have a great mix of players at the Reds now and I think the coaching staff can bring the best out of the group.”
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Coleman decides 2017
After many months of speculation, press conferences, and (of course) multiple offers from France, Adam Coleman decides he’d rather continue to ply his trade down under, joining Dave Wessels down in Melbourne and signing with the Rebels.
The young gent has only been in the Wallabies for the last year and a bit, but he has certainly made an impression. With that in mind, his signature comes as a big win for the Rebels.
“I’m excited to get down to Melbourne and join up with the boys,” said Coleman to rugby.com.au.
“They have made some great signings, that have nicely added to the talented guys that are already there,” he said.
“There’s a nice balance of experience and some great young players, so we’ll be aiming to give Super Rugby a good shake next year.
“Obviously Dave was a big factor, but I definitely wanted to stay in Australian Rugby. I love playing in the gold jersey for the Wallabies and I think we’re building something special for the 2019 Rugby World Cup.”
Coleman is currently out of the squad due to a recurring thumb injury, but is expected to really rock the boat for the Rebels next year.
On a side note, there are still two Force players in the current Wallaby squad that still don’t have a new team: being Curtis Rona and Ben McCalman.
With the consolidation of players going on, seeing such great players struggle for find a squad is genuinely disheartening.
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Force Factor
Speaking of the whole Force debate, the decision to waive certain laws to allow the consolidation of players has, unsurprisingly, pissed off the Tahs.
Rugby Australia promised to honour the contracts of all Force players, despite cutting down the Force for financial reasons. And, according to Tahs chairman Roger Davis, this has highlighted what we already knew: that RA can’t organise a piss up at a brewery.
According to Davis, agreeing to such contracts is equal to “economic madness.”
While there traditionally are limited to a $5 million cap, Davis needed to remind some folks at RA why the cap exists.
“The salary cap was grounded in economic reality and that was basically what you could afford to pay and still be profitable,” Davis said.
“It was a common sense cap. You get (Rugby Australia) top-ups over and above that, I understand that, but it was a common sense cap and it provided disciplines for the Super Rugby clubs to operate in so they could have a better chance of becoming profitable.
“Well, you’ve just thrown that out the door. The imperative for financial discipline is now removed.
“This is just economic madness. It will be a sugar hit and a couple of years down the line you are going to find reality will set in.”
Especially considering the Rebels have been heavily dogged by financial problems pretty much since their inception, the whole salary cap issue could not have come at a worse time.
“The idea was to have four strong sides. That is why the talented was supposed to be reallocated,” Davis said.
“Most of the players have gone to Melbourne, which is really disappointing. I understand why the Force players have gone. They have stuck with their coach.
“None of us expected we would get money in 2018 but in 2019 you do the maths.
“Five million between four sides is $1.25 million per state. Hopefully, in 2019 we’ll see the release of this.”
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