Wallabies Team for 2nd Test v France

[GAFFA]

1. Slipper
2. Polota-Nau
3. Kepu
4. Simmons
5. Horwill
6. Fardy
7. Hooper (c)
8. McCalman
9. White
10. Foley
11. Cummins
12. Toomua
13. Kuridrani
14. Ashley-Cooper
15. Folau

16. Charles
17. Cowan
18. Weeks
19. Jones
20. Higginbotham
21. Phipps
22. Beale
23. McCabe

http://www.rugby.com.au/News/NewsArticle/tabid/1699/ArticleID/11723/HORWILL-TO-CELEBRATE-MILESTONE-50TH-GAME-FOR-AUSTRALIA.aspx

[The InnFORCEr]

6/10/2014
By RugbyWA Media Unit, ARU Media

Western Force No.8, Ben McCalman, has been elevated to the starting XV and hooker, Nathan Charles, is set to make his international debut after being named on the Wallabies bench in the second match of the Castrol EDGE France Tour clash on Saturday evening.

Nick Cummins has been retained on the wing for the match and Pek Cowan has again been named on the bench.

Qantas Wallabies lock James Horwill will celebrate his milestone 50th game for Australia as part of a matchday squad boasting three potential debutants in Saturday night’s clash at Etihad Stadium.

Qantas Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie has made three personnel changes to the starting XV from the opening Test with hooker Stephen Moore (knee), lock Sam Carter (ankle) and back-rower Wycliff Palu (ankle) all ruled out through injury.

Replacing Moore is powerhouse NSW Waratahs hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau, who produced a devastating 76 minute performance in Australia’s 50-23 victory over the French at the weekend.

Horwill comes in for Carter while Western Force workhorse McCalman continues his breakthrough 2014 campaign with selection at No.8.

Three players are also in line to make their Test debuts with Charles and Melbourne Rebels pair Laurie Weeks and Luke Jones all chosen on the bench.

Despite a dominant seven-tries-to-two victory in the opening Test, McKenzie said his squad must improve if they are to wrap-up the series against the French.

“France is one of the few one teams in the world who can make a lot of changes and still turn things around quickly in one week. They never stay down for long and will be using the disappointment of the opening Test to motivate them for the second game,” McKenzie said.

“We were pleased with our performance on a short preparation but we understand that we must improve if we’re going to match a reinvigorated and desperate French line-up on Saturday night.

Tickets are on sale for the Castrol EDGE France Tour, which continues at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne on Saturday 14 June; and concludes with a family-friendly Saturday afternoon encounter at Allianz Stadium in Sydney on 21 June.


The Qantas Wallabies side to play France in the second Castrol EDGE France Tour Test for the Trophée des Bicentenaires at Etihad Stadium on Saturday 14 June is:

1. James Slipper (vc - Queensland Reds - 50 caps)

2. Tatafu Polota-Nau (NSW Waratahs – 47 caps)

3. Sekope Kepu (NSW Waratahs - 39 caps)

4. Rob Simmons (Queensland Reds - 38 caps)

5. James Horwill (Queensland Reds - 49 caps)

6. Scott Fardy (ACT Brumbies - 11 caps)

7. Michael Hooper (c - NSW Waratahs - 29 caps)

8. Ben McCalman (Western Force - 30 caps)

9. Nic White (ACT Brumbies - 11 caps)

10. Bernard Foley (NSW Waratahs - 5 caps)

11. Nick Cummins (Western Force - 13 caps)

12. Matt Toomua (ACT Brumbies - 11 caps)

13. Tevita Kuridrani (ACT Brumbies - 9 caps)

14. Adam Ashley-Cooper (vc - NSW Waratahs - 92 caps)

15. Israel Folau (NSW Waratahs - 16 caps)

16. Nathan Charles (Western Force – uncapped)*

17. Pek Cowan (Western Force - 6 caps)

18. Laurie Weeks (Melbourne Rebels - uncapped)*

19. Luke Jones (Melbourne Rebels - uncapped)*

20. Scott Higginbotham (Melbourne Rebels - 23 caps)

21. Nick Phipps (NSW Waratahs – 15 caps)

22. Kurtley Beale (NSW Waratahs - 40 caps)

23. Pat McCabe (ACT Brumbies - 21 caps)

* On Debut

[MI5_Dog]

what does Hodgo have to do to make the side?
Seriously our work at the breakdown was terrible in the first match.
Play like that against the AB's and we'll be slaughtered!

[Timbo]

And the detail not in the report - Paddy Ryan dropped from the bench (for Weeks) and Higgers onto the bench (effectively for Palu)

[The InnFORCEr]

what does hodgo have to do to make the side?
Serioiiusly our work at the breakdown was terrible in the first match.
Play like that against the AB's and we'll be slaughtered!

For mine you answered your own question, he will play against the All Blacks, the rest are on "trail" for now. He has nothing to prove.

[GIGS20]

For mine you answered your own question, he will play against the All Blacks, the rest are on "trail" for now. He has nothing to prove.

Not so sure there TIF, I wonder whether Ewen is falling into the "Hooper is so good we don't need a backup on the bench" trap.

He's named a (pretty much) specialist 8 on the bench two matches running now......that indicates a thought pattern. Possibly it's that he reckons the French 8 is a monster and we need the fresh legs to combat that area of the play.....if so, I don't know that will change too much once we come up against Read......the best number 8 in the world would surely deserve the same respect.

We might see Hodgo sitting in the stands until Hooper gets injured!

[chiraag]

Was very much expecting to see Cowan dropped for Sio and Phipps for Genia. Happy about the first one not happening anyway! Great call getting rid of Paddy as well. Hopefully Jones comes off the bench and makes a bit of an impression - would like to see him starting.

I'd definitely have Hodgson on the bench as he covers 6, 7 and 8, and Higgers has been pretty average this year. Hooper is always going to play the full 80 unless he gets injured, so I can see Ewen's reasoning though. Hooper is playing really well, but isn't really performing the key functions of a 7. That's why I'd have Hodgo starting at 7 instead, but unfortunately think it's extremely unlikely we'll see him in the green and gold unless Hooper gets injured.

[UNCLE BOOG]

my Rebels mate will be emptying kleenex boxes with news of Higgers making the squad.
I was hoping to see Hodgo take the pitch live in Melbourne, but, not to be. He certainly deserves a run, assuming that will be game 3?

[Alison]

BOOYAH!!!!! CHEEEEEEEEEEEEEZZZZZZZZZ!!!!

[WFDom]

Poor Hodgo. Whilst Hooper's fit & well he ain't gonna get a look in.

On the bright side I would imagine this will serve as motivation to come back home & play the house down.

FInals here we come!

[Hansie]

I think Bam Bam is done even when he gets back from injury. Now way, will they drop the captain now.

Absolutely awesome to see Cheese on the bench, he will here me cheer from Parth when he takes the field in Melbourne.

Hodgo has been hard done by and Pek is a star.

[Alison]

Hodgo defs deserves a bench spot ahead of Higgers imo!!

[Sheikh]

The comments on the Roar were calling for Pek's head based on 20 minutes at the end of the match. I think he's been hard done by over the years, with only 6 caps, and it's not as if he was particularly worse than Slipper. The French forwards only got the upper hand at the point when Horwill came on for Simmons!

[chibi]

Would it be too much to see Heath Tessman in an expanded squad? Is he good enough? I actually wonder whether he might go to another Super Rugby team eventually, to get a first team spot? Any coaches out there have an answer?

[Kept One]

Another good article (The West online) on Nathan Charles with comment from Ewen McKenzie.

Charles beats science, logic: rugby coach

Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie has hailed cystic fibrosis sufferer Nathan Charles as a medical marvel after lining up a Test debut for the inspirational Western Force hooker.

Dumped Wallabies skipper James Horwill loomed as the feel good story for Saturday night's second Test against France in Melbourne after game-one injuries paved the way for him to celebrate his 50th match for Australia back in the starting line-up.

Horwill is in the run-on side for lock Sam Carter (ankle), NSW Waratahs hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau replaces Stephen Moore (knee) and Western Force workhorse Ben McCalman slots in at No.8 for Wycliff Palu (ankle).

However, McKenzie admitted Charles's tale was hard to beat - and explain.

Charles, believed to be the only cystic fibrosis sufferer in the world who has a professional career in a contact sport, is in line for a Test debut along with Melbourne Rebels pair Laurie Weeks and Luke Jones after their selection on the bench.

Charles, 25, requires up to 28 pills and vitamins every day to manage his condition - not that McKenzie could tell.

"I was talking to the doctor today - he (Charles) seems to defy science and logic," McKenzie said.

"I think if anyone had not said anything to us, we would not have known (about his condition).

"I always talk about journeys, how people get there and he's got a very unique story.

"I am glad it is out in the open and I think the best we can do to acknowledge him is to give him an opportunity on the field."

While impressed by Charles's triumph against the odds, McKenzie said the Force hooker had leapfrogged the more-established James Hanson in the Wallabies' queue on his own merits.

"He handles the medical side of it himself. There is nothing I notice or see - he just functions like everyone else," he said.

"We've had people on the bus with diabetes and all sorts of things. They learn to function and find a way.

"They do what they need to do - I don't get involved.

"I just deal with them as a footballer and he (Charles) has been a really good addition to the squad."

Milestone man Horwill's injection into the starting line-up also brought a smile to McKenzie's face.

"I've seen the many contributions he's made to rugby in this country over a long period and I couldn't be more pleased to be part of his milestone game," he said.

Horwill is finally savouring some good fortune after being replaced as skipper by Ben Mowen during last year's spring tour before Moore took over the reins.

Adding further insult, Horwill had been overtaken in the Wallabies' second-row pecking order by Carter and Rob Simmons.

"It has probably taken me a bit longer and injuries play a part in that," Horwill said of his milestone.

"The important thing now is to get the result and sew up the series."

Palu - injured in last weekend's 50-23 first Test win in Brisbane - is set to return for game three in Sydney.

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sp...c-rugby-coach/