Unbelievable Benny is not even in the 23.
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Unbelievable Benny is not even in the 23.
What a joke. I suppose he must be injured! Simonds to number 6!
Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie selects Rob Simmons at No.6 for Italy clash
Jamie Pandaram In Turin The Courier-Mail November 07, 2013 8:00PM
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EWEN McKenzie will take a shock selection gamble against Italy as he attempts to turn the Wallabies' horror year around, naming Rob Simmons as blindside flanker for the first time.
In the only change to the starting side that lost to England last week, Simmons, who has played his entire career at lock, comes into the side at No.6 for the injured Scott Fardy.
It means Australia will start with four specialist lineout jumpers; James Horwill, Sitaleki Timani, Simmons - who missed the England Test with a knee injury - and No.8 Ben Mowen, who retains the Wallabies captaincy.
"We've had a look at Italy and what they're good at, and we want to take them on at what they're good at, scrummaging, lineout and good driving play," McKenzie said.
"As we worked out at training, it gives us an excellent lineout options in attack and pressure in defence, but also gives us a really good scrum outcome in terms of generating power.
"Simmo is in our top two statistically in defence, and probably the second most athletic guy in our forward pack [behind Michael Hooper].
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"He played part of a Test match at the World Cup at No.6, it's not like it hasn't been thought about before.
"He hasn't played a lot of football there, but he's got the right attributes.
"He's got a rugby league background, so playing in space carrying the ball, you might be a bit surprised actually.
"In terms of power, he's one of our most powerful behind Sita [Timani] and Tatafu [Polota-Nau], he'd be third in being able to generate power.
"Sometimes you don't see that because he might be stuck at a scrum. He trained really well, I was really impressed, he didn't look tentative at all."
The Wallabies are enduring one of their worst years in recent history, having lost eight of 11 Tests this year, but defeat to Italy this weekend would be most embarrassing of all.
Desperate to avoid becoming the first Australian side to lose to Italy, McKenzie has opted for stability rather than making a host of changes from last week.
Having kept Mowen as his captain - last week he replaced Horwill so the latter could focus on rediscovering form - McKenzie said the role was still a "week-to-week proposition".
"I'm way more interested in individual performance rather than worrying about leadership, because I know there are a lot of leaders there anyway," he said.
"It doesn't matter which you distribute it."
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While McKenzie had hoped to include Tatafu Polota-Nau in his squad, the hooker - who has not played a Test this year - still did not have enough preparation time as he recovers from chronic hamstring injuries to be considered.
Ben McCalman, who replaced Fardy last week when the flanker was knocked out and stretchered off, has dropped out of the squad completely, along with Kane Douglas and Bernard Foley.
In their places on the bench respectively are Liam Gill, Dave Dennis and Joe Tomane.
McKenzie is aware that the Wallabies' run of poor results is damaging a code already struggling to regain resonance in Australia, but pointed to the teams of 1989 and 1997 who endured a long series of defeats before going on to win World Cups.
"It won't go down as one of the great years," McKenzie said.
"But we've changed a lot of things, we've unearthed a lot of players. There are players starting to get international experience, guys like [Matt] Toomua, [Tevita] Kuridrani, who had developing provincial reputations are now developing quite competitive reputations.
"That doesn't just happen, if you go back and look at the moments in time in Australian rugby, there are low moments a bunch of times and two years later they're on the highest of the highs.
"It's a test of character at the moment for everyone, myself included.
"I just know there is a fair bit of fight in the group."
Australia v Italy, Stadio Olimpico, Turin, Sunday 12.45am (AEST)
WALLABIES: 15. Israel Folau 14. Adam Ashley-Cooper 13. Tevita Kuridrani 12. Matt Toomua 11. Nick Cummins 10. Quade Cooper (vice-captain) 9. Will Genia 8. Ben Mowen (captain) 7. Michael Hooper 6. Rob Simmons 5. James Horwill 4. Sitaleki Timani 3. Ben Alexander 2. Stephen Moore 1. James Slipper. Reserves: 16. Saia Fainga'a 17. Benn Robinson 18. Sekope Kepu 19. Dave Dennis 20. Liam Gill 21. Nic White 22. Christian Leali'ifano 23. Joe Tomane.
Read more: http://www.couriermail.com.au/rugby/...#ixzz2jx7sJJxg
I think front row and second row are our main issues with this side yet he makes no changes there but instead brings an extra second rower into the back row! Go figure.
How does Ben Alexander continually get picked
Posted via Mobile Device
[QUOTE
How does Ben Alexander continually get picked
Posted via Mobile Device[/QUOTE]
??? I have been asking myself that for a couple of years now and still can't come up with an answer. I think Pek could do a better job but what's he had? 2 call ups. Wrong colour blue I suppose.
oh well link is going for the grand slam in loses
Jesus, beyond his lineout abilities, Simmons isn't even a great lock - why Link thinks he'll make a good 6 is beyond me. Recent statistics be damned, he is soft and spends much of his time in pointless niggle. And the only reason he played 6 before is because the Dingo only took one 7 to the RWC, then the 6s had to play 7, and lock cover the 6. Not exactly a ringing endorsement of his experience at 6.
This idiotic experiment might not be as glaringly obvious vs Italy, but if he sticks with this ploy in the other matches, they'll be exposed.
So link thinks its a good idea to take Italy lightly?
I hope THAT doesn't bite him in the arse
I can see Australia to get over the top of the Italy and all the rugby commentators glossing over the gaping holes in the wallabies current structure.
I have said to many people that in my view England will win the 2015 world cup but I hope that Australia are in the final and can get a reverse of the 2003 final
You do realise how contradictory those two sentences are don't you?Quote:
Originally Posted by PeterM
Not trying to be a dick, I'd probably have gone with pretty much the same sentiments, but I am fully aware of my insanity and just wanted to check that you didn't have delusions of normalcy!
If we don't get a coach who will stand up to the puppet masters and pick a team based solely upon form and talent we will never win another World Cup.
[QUOTE=PeterM;.
I have said to many people that in my view England will win the 2015 world cup[/QUOTE]
You can't be serious.The current world champions are taking the game to another level.We'll find out next weekend who the real deal are
Couldn't agree more, they deserve to lose making decisions like this. Increasingly I'm not interested in watching Wallaby matches, and just limit my viewing to Force matches. I'm sure I'm not the only one. Not a good look for rugby going forward Mr Puller!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Nipper