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Qantas Wallabies Announce Team to Play All Blacks
July 23, 2008 - 1:30pm
Story by: ARU
In the absence of concussed skipper Stirling Mortlock, flanker George Smith, will captain the Wallabies against the All Blacks.
George Smith will lead a Qantas Wallabies starting XV that features just one change for Saturday night’s Bledisloe Cup Test against New Zealand in Sydney.
Smith has taken over the captaincy for the Bundaberg Rum Rugby Series match after regular custodian Stirling Mortlock was ruled out yesterday due to the effects of the head knock he sustained last weekend against South Africa.
Smith, who turned 28 last week, has been captain of his country on one previous occasion. He became Australia’s 75th Test captain when he led the Qantas Wallabies to victory over Canada at Bordeaux during last year’s Rugby World Cup.
Mortlock’s absence opens the way for the Sydney-raised Western Force-centre Ryan Cross to make his full run on debut.
The 28-year-old previously came from the reserves bench in the first three Test appearances of his career to date, earlier in the season against France and then South Africa.
Cross scored two tries in the second of these matches, which was against France at Brisbane.
While his presence represents the only change from the starting XV which opened this year’s Tri-Nations series with a gritty 16-9 win over South Africa in Perth last Saturday, there are also two alterations to the Australian bench.
The Cross promotion has allowed for the entry of Timana Tahu into the Test squad after his strong form for Australia A in recent the Pacific Nations Cup.
This won him a place in the Qantas Wallabies squad for the Tri-Nations. He will now become the 827th player to have appeared for Australia in Tests should he be required to strip for duty in the match.
The other new inclusion is the NSW Waratahs lock Daniel Vickerman. Selection for Vickerman on the bench completes the 29-year-old’s return from an ankle injury which has kept him sidelined since the Investec Super 14 final at the end of May.
Vickerman takes the place of Hugh McMeniman among the run on reserves after safely negotiating his way through two club matches with Sydney University in recent weeks.
As has been the Qantas Wallabies’ practice since the arrival of Robbie Deans as national coach, the players in the Tri-Nations squad who are fully fit and not required for national duty this weekend have been released for club rugby.
Saturday night’s match is the first trans-Tasman Test to have been played in Sydney since 2005.
It will also represent the maiden Bledisloe Cup experience for eight members of the Qantas Wallabies side named today.
These are the starting backs: winger Peter Hynes, Cross, inside centre Berrick Barnes and halfback Luke Burgess; starting forwards: lock James Horwill and prop Benn Robinson; as well as the replacements: Tahu and Tatafu Polota-Nau.
The Qantas Wallabies team to play New Zealand at ANZ Stadium in Sydney, on Saturday July 26 (8.05pm kick off, local), is:
15. Adam Ashley-Cooper (ACT Brumbies)
14. Peter Hynes (Queensland Reds)
13. Ryan Cross (Western Force)
12. Berrick Barnes (Queensland Reds)
11. Lote Tuqiri (NSW Waratahs)
10. Matt Giteau (Western Force)
9. Luke Burgess (NSW Waratahs)
8. Wycliff Palu (NSW Waratahs)
7. George Smith (ACT Brumbies, captain)
6. Rocky Elsom (NSW Waratahs)
5. Nathan Sharpe (Western Force)
4. James Horwill (Queensland Reds)
3. Al Baxter (NSW Waratahs)
2. Stephen Moore (Queensland Reds)
1. Benn Robinson (NSW Waratahs)
Run on reserves:
16. Tatafu Polota-Nau (NSW Waratahs)
17. Matt Dunning (NSW Waratahs)
18. Daniel Vickerman (NSW Waratahs)
19. Phil Waugh (NSW Waratahs)
20. Sam Cordingley (Queensland Reds)
21. Timana Tahu (NSW Waratahs)
22. Drew Mitchell (Western Force)
Australia v New Zealand – Historical Notes
This is the 153rd match of a trans-Tasman rivalry that dates back to 1903 when New Zealand won the inaugural meeting 22-3 in Sydney.
Of the 152 games played between the two nations, New Zealand has won 103 and Australia 44, with five draws – the most recent of which occurred 20 years ago, 19-19 in 1988.
Sydney has hosted 48 matches, with New Zealand claiming the honours on 29 occasions. Australia has won 17 of these games while two others were drawn.
The most recent match between the two teams in Sydney occurred in 2005 when New Zealand prevailed 30-13.
The inaugural Test between the two nations at ANZ Stadium was held in 1999, when Australia scored a 28-7 victory. The ground has hosted eight Bledisloe Cup Tests, with Australia recording five wins to New Zealand’s three.
The Bledisloe Cup was donated by the then Governor General of New Zealand, Lord Bledisloe, for competition between the two countries in 1931.
Australia won the trophy for the first time in 1934, beating New Zealand 25-11 in Sydney.
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