The news hot out of Sydney is that the only guy good enough to save the struggling Waratahs is a QUEENSLANDER, Dan McKellar. The hope is that once McKellar is signed and sealed they can then sign ex-Queensland Reds player, Taniela Tupou, and then maybe ex-Queensland Reds player, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, and some guy who wishes he was from Queensland named Leota.
The Shouty site exclusive states that McKellar has beaten out non-Queenslander, Scott Wisemantel, despite missing the deadline for resumes and submitting his three-page cover letter in the outdated .doc format. No word so far on who might make up the rest of McKellar’s coaching staff, but the article does state that they are keen to rebuild their tight five and re-sign halves Tane Edmed and Teddy Wilson.
Yes they really said that. Anyway, Best of luck for the NSFW-Q Waratahs, part of the QPRQ empire.
Olympic Sevens sides named
Finally, the Sevens sides are returning to the Olympics! For Charlotte Caslick and Sharni Smale it’s their third gig. Quite an achievement in anyone’s books.
G&GR’s own Nathan Williamson has all the goss.
“I’m really excited to be heading to a third Olympics and cannot wait to play alongside these girls,” Caslick said. “We’ve worked really hard to get to this point where we are chasing a gold medal. I’ve loved every moment of being able to lead these players and we’re in a good place to play well. Paris is an incredible city that will bring the best out of our players. We can’t wait to get over there.”
There are seven players returning from the campaign in Tokyo in 2021, where the team finished fifth.
The Women’s squad is:
1. Bienne Terita
2. Sharni Smale
3. Faith Nathan
4. Dominique Du Toit
5. Teagan Levi
6. Sariah Paki
7. Charlotte Caslick (c)
8. Kaitlin Shave
9. Tia Hinds
10. Isabella Nasser
11. Maddison Levi
12. Bridget Clark
Reserves: Kahli Henwood and Sidney Taylor
Men’s squad:
1. Henry Hutchison
2. Ben Dowling
3. Corey Toole
4. Dietrich Roache
5. Mark Nawaqanitawase
6. Henry Paterson
7. Hayden Sargeant
8. James Turner
9. Matt Gonzalez
10. Nick Malouf (c)
11. Maurice Longbottom
12. Nathan Lawson
Reserves: Michael Icely and Josh Turner
Josh Canham a chance against Wales
Canham is due to rock up for Reds training sometime next week, and QPRQ supremo Les Kiss is pretty keen to see if the big fella would like a bit of jog around against Gatland’s guys.
“There’s a possibility. Josh will join us next week in training, so we’ll see how he goes,” Kiss told media on Tuesday. Josh will be a chance, but we’ll make those decisions as the week goes on. We could possibly have some Wallabies who may come back and play for us as well.”
The Reds could be short a couple of locks with Blyth in the Wallabies squad and Cormac Daly recovering from AC joint surgery. Ryan Smith may now be available after being released by the Wallabies last week.
The Queensland Reds play Wales on 19 July at Suncorp Stadium.
First Wallaby team named today.
Over at the SMH, Iain Payten seems to know what the Wallaby team is already. Now that’s not really fair, is it? He says there are only five survivors from the last game against Wales. Prop James Slipper, breakaway Fraser McReight, No.8 Rob Valetini, winger Andrew Kellaway and hooker Matt Faessler.
The team from last September looked like this:
Australia: Bell, Porecki (capt), Slipper, Frost, Arnold, Leota, T Hooper, Valetini, McDermott, Donaldson, Koroibete, Kerevi, Petaia, Nawaqanitawase, Kellaway.
Replacements: Faessler, Schoupp, Fa’amausili, Philip, McReight, White, Gordon, Vunivalu.
That means that from this year’s squad Donaldson, McDermott, Frost, Tom Hooper, and White are out. Both White and McDermott can’t be out so Payto is wrong on at least one count.
He goes on to say Queensland breakaway Liam Wright will be the new skipper, according to informed sources (who are unable to comment for confidentiality reasons) and the starting side will also contain two uncapped players in Force lock, Jeremy Williams, and Reds outside centre, Josh Flook.
Jake Gordon and Noah Lolesio will be in the halves, Hunter Paisami at No.12, Filipo Daugunu on a wing and Tom Wright at fullback.
The Wallabies bench is set to be stocked with a big collection of uncapped rookies. Rebels prop, Isaac Kailea, Brumbies backrow, Charlie Cale, Reds lock, Angus Blyth, Reds five-eighth, Tom Lynagh and Waratahs wing, Dylan Pietsch are all in line to make Test debuts, according to the informed sources. Pietsch will become the Wallabies’ 15th Indigenous player if he gets on.
So, a guesstimation of the team would look like:
- Slipper
- Faessler
- AAA
- Jeremy Williams
- LSL
- Wrongaz (C)
- McReight
- Valetini
- Gordon
- Lolesio
- Kellaway
- Paisami
- Flook
- Daugunu
- Tom Wright
- Pollard
- Kailea
- TT
- Blyth
- Cale
- McDermott/White
- Lynagh
- Pietsch
I’ve had a guess at the reserve hooker, tighthead, one of the locks and the reserve halfback.
Check back at 1:00pm and let me know how Payto went.
