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Deans to give tour rejects a chance to make World Cup
Josh Rakic
September 26, 2010
Robbie Deans and former coach Bob Dwyer with Nick Farr-Jones, Tatafu Polota-Nau and Gordon Bray at a Two Blues function at Rosehill racecourse on Friday. Photo: Anthony Johnson
WALLABIES coach Robbie Deans has left the door ajar for World Cup hopefuls, declaring Super 15 form will take preference over reputation, despite the fact there isn't likely to be any new faces in next month's 36-man squad to tour Europe.
Deans said the time for experimentation was over after blooding 26 players in the international arena in the past two years, but the likes of Christian Lealiifano and Luke Rooney, both starring in New Zealand's National Provincial Cup, were on the radar of Wallabies selectors next year.
''We're not looking to experiment. We'll be taking our strongest squad on the tour,'' Deans told The Sun-Herald. ''Picking players from club rugby certainly isn't as likely as last year - because of our circumstance, there has been an awful lot of opportunity. I think over time that will serve us very well. But that's not to say we've finalised our squad. We've still got guys like James Horwill to come back from injury.
''We're also watching the NPC and Sevens; those players are very much in it. I've seen a little bit of Luke Rooney, and I think next year Super rugby will be key for him.
''Players not selected on this tour will absolutely be given a chance to force their way in next year; there's a good qualification period with the extended Super rugby comp. So there's still hope. There are a lot of domestic games for players to push their claims before the World Cup.''
The 1991 World Cup-winning coach Bob Dwyer, who has been a critic of the Wallabies under Deans's tenure, joined the Australia's coach at a Parramatta Two Blues luncheon on Friday, and is an advocate of Rooney, believing the Wallabies could still do with size in the outside backs.
While Dwyer has been pleased with the Wallabies' recent improvement, this time he has backed Deans by calling for Super 15 form to dictate the final make-up of the Wallabies World Cup squad next year.
''I haven't spoken with Robbie recently - maybe 18 months or two years - but I stand by those comments [I've made in regards to the Wallabies' deficiencies this year],'' Dwyer said. ''I think that out teamwork was not up to standard, our collective performance was not up to standard compared to the capabilities of some of the individuals. There's still work to do.''
Deans will name a 36-man squad on October 3, after the Shute Shield grand final, and said it could include Tatafu Polota-Nau, Peter Hynes, Sekope Kepu, Ben Alexander and Queensland flyer Rod Davies.
The squad will then be reduced to 30 after the Wallabies' midweek match against Heineken Cup heavyweights Munster.
Deans said today's Shute Shield preliminary final between University and the Rebels, and yesterday's clash, in which Kepu and Alexander went head-to-head, would have a significant bearing on the make-up of the spring tour squad.
''The next couple of weeks of Shute Shield could be important to a few of those guys,'' Deans said.
''It's going to be a big group of 40 named initially, which means we'll be including some players we've had beyond the group to date. To be fair, though, we've involved most … if you have a look at our side over the past two years, we've blooded something like 26 players. Even in the first Tri Nations this year, we had seven debutants. I don't think there's a lot out there we haven't seen for now.''
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/un...925-15rij.html
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