Deans puts Wallabies on notice

[travelling_gerry]

Deans puts Wallabies on notice






Wayne Smith | April 24, 2008


UNCAPPED players could make up a third of the 30-man squad likely to be pencilled in at the first meeting of the new Wallabies selection panel shortly before Robbie Deans' Crusaders play the Reds in Brisbane on May 10.

In recent years Test selectors have discussed the likely composition of the Wallabies, either in person or by telephone hook-up, after every round of the Super 14.

But with the ARU abiding by the NZRU's request that contact with Deans, the incoming Wallabies coach, be kept to a minimum to allow him to concentrate on the Super 14, and assistant coach Jim Williams still working with a Munster side that has reached the Heineken Cup semi-finals, the selectors - Deans, Williams and Michael Foley and adviser Pat Howard - have not yet had so much as a conference call.

Although the first Wallabies squad of the Deans era will not be announced until the day he starts work with the ARU, June 2, the face-to-face selectors' meeting in Brisbane will come close to finalising the 30 players to go into camp for the season's opening Test, against Ireland in Melbourne on June 14.

Indications are that Toulon-based George Gregan, Japan-bound Stephen Larkham and Brumbies team-mate Julian Huxley, who is still recuperating from surgery to remove a brain tumour, won't be the only World Cup squad members missing.

Unless there is a dramatic improvement in their form, two members of the front-row traumatised by England in the World Cup quarter-final in Marseille last October, Brumbies tighthead Guy Shepherdson and Queenslander Stephen Moore, will be passed over. Three other Reds, back-up hooker Sean Hardman, utility forward Hugh McMeniman and loosehead Greg Holmes also could be pushed aside.

Hardman has done little wrong but such is the form of NSW hookers Tatafu Polota-Nau and Adam Freier that no room is likely to be found for him. But while McMeniman and Holmes have been injured this season, it did not go unnoticed that both took maximum leave after the World Cup, even though they had played little rugby in 2007 because of injuries.

Such is the wealth of backrow talent that Waratahs veteran David Lyons, whose World Cup campaign ended miserably when he broke a leg against Canada in Bordeaux, will not make the squad.

There could yet be further casualties from the cup squad unless late starter Adam Ashley-Cooper continues to play catch-up, while Australia's most capped prop Al Baxter could be squeezed out because of NSW team-mate Matt Dunning's successful switch to tighthead.

And not just Dunning. Dayna Edwards' emergence as the pillar of the Reds scrum is sure to have been noted.

The changing of the guard after the thrashing at Stade Velodrome also could see Brumbies strongman Salese Ma'afu and resurgent Waratahs prop Benn Robinson in the reckoning, while 118kg backrower turned loosehead Sekope Kepu has been attracting attention for reasons other than his three-try effort for Randwick against Penrith last weekend.

The selectors are unlikely to venture beyond the four Test-proven second-rowers, Dan Vickerman, Nathan Sharpe, Mark Chisholm and James Horwill, although Dean Mumm's stunning form at lock and blindside flanker for the Tahs puts him on target to follow his grandfather Bill into Test football, although as a Wallaby not an All Black.

Force number eight Tamati Horua's suspected high grade knee ligament tear has robbed the selectors of a "person of interest" but that barely thins out the crowd, with Perth pair David Pocock and Richard Brown jostling with all the usual suspects.
Sam Cordingley still heads the halfback contenders but he cannot afford any more time on the injured list, not with Luke Burgess and Ben Lucas strongly pushing their claims.

Force centre Ryan Cross looks certain to be called into the squad, along with fellow league convert Timana Tahu - who is being considered for every position from inside centre to wing - while NSW team-mate Lachlan Turner is likely to be the only other new face in the backs.


http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...012430,00.html

[Thequeerone]

Hmm read another article somewhere that the Force guys like Brown, Pocock, Mitchell and Shepherd (not Cross cause he has been consistent ) need to lift their game for the last couple of matches to gain Wallaby Selector interest - just because of the last couple of games.

[benny]

I dont think Brown needs to show much, but recent form of Bam Bam is a question (is he already thinking of playing in the maroon next year) mitchell and shep have been a little quiet of recent but with a couple more wins it may push em back into the 22.

all i pray for is that Tuqiri doesn't get picked in the 22.. i have conseeded he will be one of the 30 but please not 22..

And i thought Dunning was going to get pushed aside cause of Ben Franks who plays for the Crusaders under deans.. could of been dreaming agian but.

[zimeric]

wether you like it or not Tuiquiri has been in good form this year, the other wingers apart from turner have all looked average compared to Lote..
i dont like him either but he has stepped up this year.

[waratahjesus]

honestly,
im going to say it one more time!
if you like him or not,
the turk is the first player picked for australia this year, his form is blinding, his workrate huge and his impact massive!
he lifts the waratahs week in week out!
and that is more than any force player does, i know this cos were winning and your losing!
plus tah man should become the wallaby mascot!

[robyn <3]

i think the wallabies should have a girl mascot. walla-girl... it sounds better than walla-man. the force need a mascot!!!

[BLR]

i think the wallabies should have a girl mascot. walla-girl... it sounds better than walla-man. the force need a mascot!!!

A girl mascot? Rugby is a tough game, we would be laughing stocks if we had a girl mascot, simple as that...plus how is this on topic?

[laura]

along with fellow league convert Timana Tahu - who is being considered for every position from inside centre to wing

I don't see how Timana Tahu gets picked or even considered

[AndyS]

Am I the only one appalled that Tahu is "looking certain for call-up", on the strength of what, three games at the start of the season? That is exactly the sort of crap that drives other, more worthy, players overseas...

[BLR]

Am I the only one appalled that Tahu is "looking certain for call-up", on the strength of what, three games at the start of the season? That is exactly the sort of crap that drives other, more worthy, players overseas...

Sometimes I wonder if it would be possible if an Alternate Wallabies side was set up, basically you have the Wallabies dominated by players but in for political motives and then the actual Wallabies who are chosen by merit...

[inactive]

i hate rugby politics if tahu gets in i may go for another team in tri nations!!

[gustafsl]

For a while there I thought the Force didn't exist, they didn't get a mention until near the end of the article. Not trying to say that all of the Force players are the greatest and should or will get picked. But if you are going to throw out random names like that Kepu guy, who isn't even playing Super 14, then surely AJ or Hardy gets a mention as possible props???

I have noticed a few questionable articles from this Wayne Smith guy over the past few weeks. Perhaps he is Growden's understudy???

[gustafsl]

Am I the only one appalled that Tahu is "looking certain for call-up", on the strength of what, three games at the start of the season? That is exactly the sort of crap that drives other, more worthy, players overseas...

I agree. But you could see this from the start of the year. I think it is partly to do with the fact he comes from League. They spend so much money on these guys that the media has to build them up just so it looks like it was worth getting them. But I don't remember Crossy getting this kind of attention last year. Which brings me to point number 2 and that is that Tahu plays for the Tahs, so of course the media is going to say he is the greatest of all time. Honestly, I knew this would happen in week 1. I saw the first Tahs game and they built him up so much before the game I was almost sick. And then when he made that pass for Turner to get the first try, I thought the commentators were going to propose to him. I'm not exactly the biggest league fan around, but I catch enough highlights and see the odd game that I can name a few players. Yet I have never even heard of this guy. Was he even that good in league???

[Jehna]

He was a good leaguie gustafsl. I think you have to give him time. Like Crossie there is a certain amount of adjustment that needs take place before you can talk of a wallabies call up but i think he is a promising talent.

I wouldn't read too much into this article. Of course there is going to be speculation and I'd say after the disaster of the world cup campaign and having a new coach the speculation was always going to be even greater this year. Robbie Deans isn't an idiot. I expect he has a very clear picture of where he wants to go and nothing the media says is going to sway that. They're only interested in creating controversy.

[waratahjesus]

People from nsw do better on an iternational level because every player in the team earns there spot!
you all say lote is overrated and doesnt deserve his spot! look at his statistics for the season, he probably has got more metres gained than most of your forward pack put together! and most of that is up the middle not on the wing!

lote deserves his spot, he gets payed less than gits (who gets payed less hush money to stay in perth than he deserves in my opinion!) gits deserves his spot to (and lote hasn't layed down on the job like gits!)

i agree that tahu hasnt done enough, but i think there giving him experiance in the 30 man squad followed by an aus a campain, he is a good player, just needs more game time to develop, like cross did last year!