Update Wedsnesday, 13/7/11: Wallaby team to play Samoa released
Mark Gerrard, James O’Connor, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Pat McCabe, Digby Ioane, Matt Giteau, Nick Phipps, Ben McCalman, Matt Hodgson, Rocky Elsom (capt), Nathan Sharpe, Sitaleki Timani, Ben Alexander, Stephen Moore, Sekope Kepu.
Reserves: James Hanson, TBA, Dan Vickerman, Scott Higginbotham, Beau Robinson, Will Genia, Kurtley Beale.
Latest: In a major loss for the Wallabies, Benn Robinson is out for the season with a knee injury.
The 40-man Wallaby squad for next week’s Test match against Samoa and the following Tri-Nations tournament has just been announced in Brisbane.
Wallabies Tri-Nations Squad
Wallabies 40 man Squad Samoa/Tri-Nations Tests| Ben Alexander | Ben Daley | Dave Dennis | Rocky Elsom |
| Saia Faingaa | James Hanson | Scott Higginbotham | Matt Hodgson |
| James Horwill | Sekope Kepu | Salesi Ma'afu | Ben McCalman |
| Stephen Moore | Dean Mumm | Cliffy Palu | David Pocock |
| Tatafu Polota-Nau | Beau Robinson | Benn Robinson | Radike Samo |
| Nathan Sharpe | Rob Simmons | James Slipper | Sitaleki Timani |
| Dan Vickerman | Adam Ashley-Cooper | Kurtley Beale | Luke Burgess |
| Quade Cooper | Rod Davies | Anthony Faingaa | Will Genia |
| Mark Gerrard | Matt Giteau | Digby Ioane | Pat McCabe |
| Luke Morahan | James O'Connor | Nick Phipps | Lachlan Turner |
The makeup of the squad is: 15 Reds, 11 Waratahs, 7 Brumbies, 5 Force and 2 Rebels.
In recognition of current form and Super Rugby standings, yesterday’s Final winners the Queensland Reds have taken the biggest slice of the pie in the squad announced today by ARU CEO John O’Neill.
Except for the unlucky Greg Holmes, every starter in the Reds’ forward pack, and non-starter James Slipper, has been included. Reserve hooker James Hanson has also been given a tracksuit as one of the three new ‘uncapped’ Wallabies.
You could say Radike Samo is a bolter, but at 35 (allegedly) and having last played for the Wallabies in 2004, his form was such that an inclusion is not really a surprise. If Brad Thorn can do it there’s no reason why ‘the Fijian freak’ can’t!
Beau Robinson has come from nowhere at the start of this year to demand a spot. His battle with Matt Hodgson for the role of backup to David Pocock will be an interesting sidelight. The mail about potential bolter Liam Gill didn’t come to pass but really, it’s only a matter of time.
The third new uncapped player is lock Sitaleki Timani. A big, bruising ball-runner, Timani has done the rounds of the provinces but it was only at the Waratahs that he’s had the most opportunity.
He’s grabbed this with both hands and caused all sorts of mayhem with his physicality, to both friend and foe alike! A good selection for the future bearing in mind his Tongan eligibility.
Uncapped Wallaby tourists who have been reselected include ‘Rocket’ Rod Davies, Luke Morahan, Dave Dennis and Nick Phipps. ‘Den’ Dennis hasn’t featured on the radar for a couple of years but he had such a strong influence in an injury-depleted Tahs backrow that his inclusion is well-deserved.
To me, the front row has a more solid feel to it than this time last year. Kepu has been a rock at tighthead for the Tahs and Robinson returned to form. Daley, who is an absolute dynamo around the field, will have to improve on his scrummaging to gain regular selection.
My only criticism is the inclusion of Salesi Ma’afu. He is a good Super Rugby prop but in my view has been tried and failed at international level. Holmes, Weeks or even the late, lamented scrum-camp attendee Le Fuse would have been a better option.
Isn’t it good to see Gerrardo back in the mix? He had an impressive season for the Rebels, after returning from Japanese rugby, at both fullback and outside centre. His booming boot was a feature but I’m not sure he has the pace to sustain a First XV position. His utility value would be good, though, and he won’t let anyone down.
Dan Vickerman is obviously held in high regard, having been selected on the back of half a game for the Waratahs, but if he can recapture his form of yore then all will be good. That, of course, remains to be seen and is probably a bit of a gamble.
All up, I think the selectors have done a reasonable job and picked a good balance of form, experience and potential.
Players not considered for selection include the injured Berrick Barnes, Rob Horne, Drew Mitchell and Richard Brown.
