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Thread: Wallabies named to play South Africa

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    Champion GAFFA's Avatar
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    Wallabies named to play South Africa

    By Qantas Wallabies Media Unit




    A new flyhalf and two notable individual career milestones mark the Qantas Wallabies line-up named today for Saturday’s (3am, Sunday morning, AEST) fifth Test of The Castrol EDGE Rugby Championship.

    Australia faces South Africa at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria in a game that could determine second spot in the inaugural Rugby Championship.

    Former schoolboy star Kurtley Beale will play his 30th Test match, but his first at flyhalf, after being named in the number 10 jersey as the replacement for Quade Cooper, playing outside of his Melbourne Rebels team-mate Nick Phipps.

    An Australian Schoolboys representative at flyhalf for three straight years as the star of the St Josephs (Sydney) first XV, Beale also cut his teeth in Super Rugby as a flyhalf for the NSW Waratahs, before starring as a fullback after his long-awaited introduction to the Test arena at the end of 2009.

    Australia will be led for the fourth time by Western Force second row Nathan Sharpe, who makes the 110th appearance of his 11-year Test career, since his debut against France in Melbourne in 2002.

    In doing so, Sharpe levels with Australia’s premier former openside flanker George Smith, as the country’s most capped forward. The 110-Test tally accumulated by the pair has been bettered only by Australia and the game’s most capped player, the ex-halfback and current Australian Rugby Union board member, George Gregan.

    Up front, the popular NSW Waratahs front-rower Benn Robinson will become just the third prop, and the 36th Australian player overall, to feature in 50 Test matches.

    Robinson, who led the Waratahs for the first time in Super Rugby earlier in the year, plays his 50th Test in South Africa after taking his maiden bow on the international stage in the Republic six years ago when he made his Wallaby debut at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.

    The absence of the injured Cooper is the only change to the Qantas Wallabies starting side from that which rallied from 13 points behind to beat Argentina 23-19 on the Gold Coast at the team’s most recent outing.

    NSW Waratahs second rower Kane Douglas, who made an impressive Test debut against Argentina, has retained his place, with Sitaleki Timani falling short in his bid to return from a hamstring strain. He was ruled out after not entirely satisfying team medical staff following a rehabilitation run yesterday.

    The Queensland Reds second rower Rob Simmons comes in on a bench which features five forwards, while the evergreen Western Force halfback Brett Sheehan is one of two back reserves, alongside Anthony Fainga’a.

    Sheehan, who was recalled to the Wallabies when injury rubbed out Will Genia, played the last of his three Tests to date against South Africa at Johannesburg in 2008. All three of his previous Test appearances have been made on South African soil.

    Qantas Wallabies coach Robbie Deans says that although this represents Beale’s first time in the Test number 10 jersey, he had long been viewed as an option in the position.

    While yet to start a Test match as a flyhalf, Deans says that Beale had spent much of his international career as a playmaker operating from fullback anyway, and would not face any great change in his duties as a result of the positional switch.

    The reigning John Eales Medal winner operated from the back, with Saturday’s fullback Berrick Barnes in the front line, when Australia beat Wales at Sydney in June; but Beale still finished the game with more touches from first receiver in the attacking line than had the selected flyhalf.

    “The [jersey] number might be new but his role within the game won’t be,” Deans says of Beale.

    “Although his season hasn’t been without challenge, Kurtley stepped up with his involvements on the Gold Coast, making a difference when he was on the field. He’s brought that enthusiasm forward with him since we’ve been in South Africa, has worked hard on the training track, and is excited about the opportunity ahead. He has good memories from some of his experiences over here.”

    Both Beale and Barnes have worked at training this week with the former Springbok and now Wallaby kicking consultant, Braam van Straaten.

    While Barnes, whom pleased but didn’t surprise Deans with his accomplished debut outing as a Test fullback against Argentina, will retain the lead-off goal-kicking duties; Beale reaffirmed his prowess with the boot by nailing the long range penalty goal which finally saw off Los Pumas at Skilled Park.

    This followed his immortal after the siren penalty goal from halfway which secured Australia’s first victory on the South African high veldt for 47 years on the team’s most recent visit to the South African heartland, at Bloemfontein, two years ago.

    The Australian team named today features eight survivors from that memorable evening in the Free State: Beale, centres Adam Ashley-Cooper and Anthony Fainga’a, Barnes, Sharpe, Robinson, hooker Saia Fainga’a and prop James Slipper.

    While the Wallabies have enjoyed the better of their relationship with the Springboks since that night, Deans warned that Saturday’s challenge at a ground where Australia has never won; would be the team’s toughest yet.

    “They are proud men, and they don’t lose at Loftus very often,” Deans said of the Springboks.

    “While they are coming off a tour which would have disappointed them, they were in both contests and will feel that they could have won on both occasions. That will only spur them on, as will the atmosphere which is always electric for Test matches in Pretoria.”

    Deans also warned of the threat posed by the Springbok goal-kickers, even in the absence of the usual Bok sharpshooter, Morne Steyn, with his replacement Johan Goosen, inside centre Francois Steyn and halfback Ruan Pienaar all accomplished goal-kickers.

    “Discipline is always key, but there’s no doubt about its importance when you play South Africa as they always have goal-kickers who can routinely kick goals anywhere on our side of halfway, or even from 60 metres at altitude in Francois’s case.”

    While citing discipline and field position as key elements, Deans believes that playing at altitude shouldn’t be an imposition, both due to the belief gained from Australia’s success on its most recent visit to the high veldt, but also after a good preparation which has allowed the squad nine days of preparation and acclimatisation in Johannesburg prior to kick off.

    The Qantas Wallabies team to play South Africa in The Castrol EDGE Rugby Championship and Mandela Challenge Plate Test on Saturday at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria (kick-off: 5pm SA time, 3am, Sunday 30 September AEST) is:

    Starting XV:
    15. Berrick Barnes (NSW Waratahs)
    14. Dominic Shipperley (Queensland Reds)
    13. Adam Ashley-Cooper (NSW Waratahs)
    12. Pat McCabe (Brumbies)
    11. Digby Ioane (Queensland Reds)
    10. Kurtley Beale (NSW Waratahs)
    9. Nick Phipps (Melbourne Rebels)
    8. Radike Samo (Queensland Reds)
    7. Michael Hooper (Brumbies)
    6. Dave Dennis (NSW Waratahs)
    5. Nathan Sharpe (Western Force, captain)
    4. Kane Douglas (NSW Waratahs)
    3. Ben Alexander (Brumbies)
    2. Tatafu Polota Nau (NSW Waratahs)
    1. Benn Robinson (NSW Waratahs)

    Replacements:
    16. Saia Fainga’a (Queensland Reds)
    17. James Slipper (Queensland Reds)
    18. Rob Simmons (Queensland Reds)
    19. Scott Higginbotham (Queensland Reds)
    20. Liam Gill (Queensland Reds)
    21. Brett Sheehan (Western Force)
    22. Anthony Fainga’a (Queensland Reds)

    http://www.rugby.com.au/wallabies/Ne...7/Default.aspx

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    “Everyone knows whether it’s rugby, politics or whatever, front-rowers should rule the world, so to have a hooker at the helm makes sense,” Nathan Charles Western Force & Wallabies Hooker.

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    Congratulations to Sharpie. 110 Caps is a magnificent achievement.

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    Legend Contributor Alison's Avatar
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    I think that back line is exactly as you predicted Bison.

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    Senior Player DinkyDi's Avatar
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    oh dear - Faaaainga'aaa as the only back on the bench - oh that's right Ridiculous Samo can play in the back line.... I hope that there are no injuries. Great to see Sharpie take 110. Well done big man.

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    Champion KenyaQuin's Avatar
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    Sadly, will pick the Boks for this game though hopeful that Beale stars (as well as the rest) and the Wobblies come out with a win.

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    Sheehan's a back.
    Posted via Mobile Device

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    Senior Player DinkyDi's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by maelkann View Post
    Sheehan's a back.
    Posted via Mobile Device
    Okay Point taken... maybe he is the answer for us at 12?

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    we are seriously screwed. Only back (excluding Sheehan) on the bench is Finger. If Barnes or Beale goes down its game over. Gutless prick Deans has got both Gill AND Higgers on the bench.

    AND guess what? NO HONEY BADGER!!!! GRRRrrrr. At least he covered 14 and 13. And offers something different in terms of strike power. Whats the diff between Finger McCabe and AAC? They should have had Harris and HB on the bench, ditched Gill. In fact, they should have ditched Dennis, played higgers at 6 and kept Gill on bench.

    And lets hope Shippers finger doesn't fall off when hes making a grab for the ball or a jersey in a try scoring/preventing situation.

    Time to update the front page of 2013 squad again TIF, HB still hasn't got a Wallaby jersey

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    Immortal GIGS20's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by sittingbison View Post
    Whats the diff between Finger McCabe and AAC?
    ooooh, I know this....AAC can step off at least one foot!

    Or is it finger has completed a tackle in an actual match situation (I know because it's what gets him the jersey over Rob Horne)

    McCabe, McCabe, nope he's got nothing....I could do a better job with that jersey

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    C'mon the

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    Immortal jargan83's Avatar
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    Beale at 10?

    Oh cruel fate to be thusly boned.....

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    Veteran sittingbison's Avatar
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    If Kurtley still has the yips (thinking about his court case, his recent crash at 2am, his bestie Quade getting a P45 etc), runs out of puff at 10 because he is 5kg over weight, or is injured there is only one option - Barnes to 10, AAC to 15, Finger to 13. Then if any other backs go down its curtains. Especially Barnes.

    Which leaves...BRETT SHEEHAN for 10!! Yes!! How cool is that.

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    Immortal GIGS20's Avatar
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    Sheeno is as good an option at ten as anybody else in that team!

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    C'mon the

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    Springboks by 20.

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    Immortal Contributor The InnFORCEr's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by sittingbison View Post

    Time to update the front page of 2013 squad again TIF, HB still hasn't got a Wallaby jersey
    Done

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    Quote Originally Posted by The InnFORCEr View Post
    Done

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