As expected, there have been a raft of changes made to the Wallaby team for this weekend’s Bokke clash after the Manu Samoan aituā (disaster).
The big loser from Saturday is Matt Giteau. He’s been completely dropped from the 22. Sure, he didn’t have a great game last weekend, but he was by no means the only one and to some extent he’s a casualty of an insipid forward effort.
I suspect a factor he’s not there is the 5/2 bench split. It’s a shame, as he had a solid Super Rugby season in a misfiring Brumbies team. The end of an era, perhaps?
Surprisingly, his Brumbies compatriots Adam Ashley-Cooper and Pat McCabe are retained in the centres. McCabe had a reasonable workrate last weekend but his play is a little one-dimensional. I guess that someone is hoping AAC is going to fire at some stage this year? It better happen soon….
Ant Faingaa has been brought onto the bench but in my view he should be starting after a stellar season for the Reds. He’s really developed as a player, especially on attack, to go with his trademark defensive capabilities.
Perhaps another surprise is the retention of the same starting front row used against the Samoans. Both props had poor games and were physically dominated, especially at the breakdown. They get another chance to prove their worth although you, like me, probably think they’ve got their numbers confused.
Pek Cowan is promoted to the bench, which is understable considering Ben Daley is still injured — but back next week, apparently.
‘Big Kev’ Horwill and David Pocock are back on deck to add some starch to the side. Interestingly, Rob Simmons is selected for the run-on side, surplanting Nathan Sharpe. Simmo has had a cracker of a season up in Queensland and this is not really a surprise. In fact, it’s probably a timely move. Sharpie’s retained on the bench.
I thought both Ben McCalman and Squeaky Moore had solid outings against Samoa and deserve continued selection. Scott Higginbotham and Saia Faingaa are the backups (a hand injury kept Fingers out last week). Higgers’s cameo against Samoa was a beauty. Radike Samo would also have been seriously considered and probably just missed out.
Some would say that Matt Hodgson and Nick Phipps are lucky to retain their places in the 22. In the case of Phipps, there’s nobody else fit enough at present. Maybe Gits could have been the No. 9 reserve?
Hodgo has shown his capabilities in the past and probably deserves another go, although with Beau Robinson breathing down his neck he’ll need to fire if he gets game-time.
James O’Connor has been pronounced fit and with KB and QC comes into the starting lineup as expected.
All up, it’s not a bad selection. With guys like Cliffy Palu, James Slipper, TPN, Ben Daley, Burgo, Berrick Barnes and Drew Mitchell to come back, these guys will need to perform.
I wonder where this leaves Dan Vickerman — or is it horses for courses?
And, let me just say that if the Wallabies lose this Test against a weakened South Africa, then we’ll know the wheels have well and truly fallen off our RWC campaign.
Wallabies: 15. Kurtley Beale 14. James O’Connor 13. Adam Ashley-Cooper 12. Pat McCabe 11. Digby Ioane 10. Quade Cooper 9. Will Genia 8. Ben McCalman 7. David Pocock 6. Rocky Elsom 5. James Horwill 4. Rob Simmons 3. Ben Alexander 2. Stephen Moore 1. Sekope Kepu
Reserves: 16. Saia Fainga’a 17. Pekahou Cowan 18. Nathan Sharpe 19. Matt Hodgson 20. Scott Higginbotham 21. Nick Phipps 22. Anthony Fainga’a
South Africa: 15. Gio Aplon 14. Bjorn Basson 13. Juan De Jongh 12. Wynand Olivier 11. Lwazi Mvovo 10. Morne Steyn 9. Ruan Pienaar 8. Ashley Johnson 7. Danie Roussouw 6. Deon Stegmann 5. Johann Muller 4. Flip van der Merwe 3. Werner Kruger 2. John Smit 1. Dean Greyling
Reserves: 16. Chiliboy Ralepelle 17. CJ van der Linde 18. Alistair Hargreaves 19. Jean Deysel 20. Charl McLeod 21. Adrian Jacobs 22. Patrick Lambie
(New Caps: Dean Greyling, Werner Kruger, Ashley Johnson).
