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Greg Growden | November 5, 2009
LONDON: On a tour that has been marked so far by upheaval, the Wallabies look as though they will have the chance to settle, with coach Robbie Deans expected to name an unchanged line-up to play England at Twickenham on Saturday night.
If he does, it will come as a relief to the tourists who have had to stay focused despite having two players sent home through injury, a demanding travel schedule and a demoralising loss to the All Blacks in Tokyo last weekend.
The Wallabies were going to announce the Test line-up early in the week, but chose to delay it by three days to give the midweek players an opportunity to impress the selectors, and possibly sneak their way into the Test team.
Despite the humiliation of their fourth successive loss to the All Blacks this season, the selectors were always going to base their team for the England match on those who played in Tokyo.
While the bulk of the Wallabies who played in the Gloucester match left for the game early on Tuesday, the other 12 members of the touring squad, all of whom played against the All Blacks and appear certain to start again, were involved in a training session in London.
Three of the bench players against Gloucester - James O'Connor, Wycliff Palu and Mark Chisholm - were also part of the London training session before they headed to Tuesday night's match.
The only certain starter who was not at the London session was outside-centre Ryan Cross. He volunteered to play in Gloucester because he was eager for extra game time. It is an attitude Deans likes to see in his players.
The only uncertainty about the starting line-up against England appears to be who will be the first-choice hooker.
Tatafu Polota-Nau was going to start in Tokyo, until he woke up on the morning of the match with a leg complaint. Stephen Moore started the match, with Polota-Nau moving onto the bench. Moore trained with the first-choice pack on Tuesday, and it would not be surprising if he holds onto the starting spot this weekend, especially as he had a memorable game against England last year, winning the man-of-the-match award.
Not surprisingly, the Wallabies pack spent most of the session practising their lineout work, an area in which they struggled against the All Blacks.
The lineout has become a weak point of the Wallabies game. The throwers, Moore and Polota-Nau, and the key jumpers, James Horwill and Chisholm, know they have to pick up their act. And fast.
http://www.rugbyheaven.com.au/news/n...247660411.html
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