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The Qantas Wallabies have named their midweek XV for their second tour match against two-time European Cup champions, Munster, at Thomond Park in Limerick on Tuesday night (Wednesday morning AEDT).
The Australian side is chasing their second midweek win in a fortnight after defeating Leicester, 26-15, at Welford Road last Tuesday.
The only new face to the squad is that of hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau, who has been selected on the bench and is in line to play his first match since undergoing ankle surgery in June. Saia Faingaa replaces Huia Edmonds in the starting line-up after the Brumbies rake was forced out of the Qantas Wallabies’ Test squad having sustained a shoulder injury against Leicester, making way for Polota-Nau’s return via the bench.
Faingaa’s promotion is one of three changes to the starting pack with loosehead prop Ben Daley earning his first run-on start of the tour in place of James Slipper, while lock Dean Mumm joins Queenslander Rob Simmons in the second row, replacing Van Humphries.
The Qantas Wallabies’ backline has also received a reshuffle with Lachie Turner shifting from the wing to fullback in favour of Peter Hynes, who reverts to the bench. Australian Sevens Commonwealth Games silver medallist Luke Morahan earns his first start for the Qantas Wallabies after coming off the bench against Leicester last week and in his debut against Cardiff in 2009.
The remainder of the backline is untouched with Anthony Faingaa and Pat McCabe maintaining their places in the midfield, and the Waratahs duo of captain Berrick Barnes and Luke Burgess combining in the halves.
The Australian squad will again feature all seven members of the Qantas Wallabies’ bench from last night’s Cook Cup Test – Barnes, No.8 Richard Brown, Burgess, Faingaa, Mumm, Slipper and Turner – with inside centre Matt Giteau again chosen amongst the run-on reserves list to face the Irish club.
Last week’s Leicester match provided five players with their Qantas Wallabies debuts (Rod Davies, Scott Higginbotham, Van Humphries, McCabe and Pat McCutcheon) while Melbourne Rebels scrumhalf Nick Phipps remains in line for his first appearance in the senior national side.
“This is another great opportunity for these guys to get as close to Test rugby as you’ll get,” Qantas Wallabies coach Robbie Deans said. “We’re playing against teams full of international players and this week will be tougher again.
“Munster have a history of taking international scalps; their combinations are more like international ones than provincial, and this is will be a great challenge for us.”
Deans says the match will give his squad the opportunity to return to the winners’ list after falling to England, 35-18, at Twickenham last night.
“Following so close after the loss to England, it’s really important that we get back on the front foot again,” he said.
“We saw in the first outing [against Leicester] that it was a tough encounter but the side nutted their way through and they’ll be better off for it leading into this match.
“There are guys who will be aspiring to Test starts. This week combinations will hopefully be better again which will help individuals within the side, and this match is another great opportunity for them to stake their claim for the remaining two Tests of the tour.”
Munster currently sits on top of the 12-team Celtic League, with six wins from their seven matches, including their 16-6 win over the fifth-placed Ulster at Ravenhill in their last outing a fortnight ago. The Irish frontrunners also lead Pool Three in this year’s European Cup, ahead of London Irish (England), Ospreys (Wales), Toulon (France)
Tuesday’s encounter will be the fifth meeting between the two sides with Munster holding the balance of power with three wins over the Australians in 1967, 1981 and 1992. A try in injury time allowed Australia to take the 1947 fixture while the clash in 1958 finished in a 3-all draw. However, Munster’s club highlight came in 1978 with a 12-0 win over the All Blacks – a dose they almost repeated in 2008 when they pushed Graham Henry’s side to a 18-16 win.
The Irish club has a strong antipodean connection with the side currently coached by Queensland Schoolboy representative and former Brisbane Bronco Tony McGahan, who has been with the club since 2005, while former Brumbies and Australia A head coach Laurie Fisher has held the position of Forwards Coach since 2008.
The playing ranks also have an Australian/New Zealand flavour with the backline featuring former Australian Under 21’s and Sevens representative Paul Warwick, and All Blacks Sam Tuitupou and flyer Doug Howlett, who still holds Super Rugby’s all time try-scoring record with 59 touchdowns.
The Qantas Wallabies are not without their own connection to the Irish club, with Assistant Coach Jim Williams playing four seasons with Munster until his retirement in 2005, when he took on the roles of Assistant Coach (2005-07) and Forwards Coach (2007-08) to help guide the side to their European Cup titles in 2006 and 2008.
Qantas Wallabies v Munster
Tuesday, 16 November, 2010
Thomond Park, Cork
Time: 8pm (local)/7am (AEDT) (Wednesday, 17 November)
Referee: Bryce Lawrence (NZ)
1. Ben Daley (Queensland Reds)
2. Saia Faingaa (Queensland Reds)
3. Salesi Ma’afu (Brumbies)
4. Dean Mumm (NSW Waratahs)
5. Rob Simmons (Queensland Reds)
6. Scott Higginbotham (Queensland Reds)
7. Matt Hodgson (Western Force)
8. Richard Brown (Western Force)
9. Luke Burgess (NSW Waratahs)
10. Berrick Barnes (c) (NSW Waratahs)
11. Luke Morahan (Queensland Reds)
12. Anthony Faingaa (Queensland Reds)
13. Pat McCabe (Brumbies)
14. Rod Davies (Queensland Reds)
15. Lachie Turner (NSW Waratahs)
Reserves:
16. Tatafu Polota-Nau (NSW Waratahs)
17. James Slipper (Queensland Reds)
18. Van Humphries (Queensland Reds)
19. Pat McCutcheon (NSW Waratahs)
20. Nick Phipps (Melbourne Rebels)
21. Matt Giteau (Brumbies)
22. Peter Hynes (Queensland Reds)
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