Wallabies select sixth-string hooker

[The InnFORCEr]

AAP
Jim Morton
September 25, 2014, 9:02 pm


Sixth-string hooker Saia Fainga'a will start his first Test match in four years as the Wallabies face a massive set-piece assignment against South Africa at Newlands.

Australia's dreadlocked rake, Fainga'a becomes the fifth man to wear the jinxed No.2 jersey in eight games after gaining a shock recall ahead of Queensland teammate James Hanson.

The 27-year-old is one of three changes to the starting team which overcame Argentina 32-25 on the Gold Coast, with vice-captain Adam Ashley-Cooper returning from injury and Joe Tomane edging out Rob Horne on the other flank.

Hanson had appeared an automatic choice after the hooker's curse claimed Tatafu Polota-Nau (ankle) for the second time this year but Fainga'a's reliability in the scrums and lineouts was preferred against a Boks pack that unsettled the All Blacks in Wellington.

But the fact Bismarck du Plessis, seen as the best No.2 in the world, is on the South African bench, contrasts the rivals' fortunes.

Fainga'a has lived a bench-warming existence since making his international debut in 2010, starting seven of his first 11 Tests, before sitting behind Stephen Moore and Polota-Nau for 18 straight.

And that doesn't include several more when left a frustrated unused reserve by Robbie Deans.

But Ewen McKenzie views Fainga'a's flexibility as a fast-striking scrummager under pressure as a key to Australia winning clean ball off their feed.

"We've been really impressed with the effort he has put in off the field recently, and he'll be determined to make the most of this opportunity," McKenzie said.

The set-piece is always an important area of focus for us, even more so when you play South Africa, and we know the outcome of the scrum and line-out will be crucial to the final result."

Not since 2006, when John Connolly experimented leading into the 2007 World Cup, has Australia resorted to five different starting hookers in a calendar year.

McKenzie has also recalled veteran prop Benn Robinson, left out of the squad for the first seven Tests of 2014, on the bench ahead of Pek Cowan due to his experience and loose-head nous.

Benn is someone who we have always said wasn't out of the selection picture, and we've been pleased with the improvements he has made," the coach said.

Will Genia was overlooked for a bench spot with Nic White kept among three backs in a 5-3 split.

A match-winner in Perth, Horne has lost out with faster wing specialist Tomane now recovered from a hamstring injury.

Wallabies: Israel Folau, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Tevita Kuridrani, Matt Toomua, Joe Tomane, Bernard Foley, Nick Phipps; Ben McCalman, Michael Hooper (capt), Scott Fardy, Rob Simmons, Sam Carter, Sekope Kepu, Saia Fainga'a, James Slipper. Res: James Hanson, Benn Robinson, Ben Alexander, James Horwill, Scott Higginbotham, Nic White, Kurtley Beale, Rob Horne.

THE WALLABIES HOOKER CRISIS IN 2014

Stephen Moore (knee reconstruction) - lasted three minutes in year's first Test in June

Tatafu Polota-Nau (knee and ankle) - started twice before busting his knee, then lasted 40 minutes in return

Nathan Charles (shoulder surgery) - ran on for both Bledisloe Tests before another injury struck

James Hanson - No.4 in the pecking order has been left on the bench against the Springboks

Tolu Latu (broken arm) - injured just days after joining the Wallabies camp in August

Saia Fainga'a - sixth choice a month ago, now starting on the weekend in Cape Town.

Having waited in the wings so long, Fainga'a said he felt like a rookie about to make his Test debut.

"It's been a while," he said on Thursday night (AEST). "I'm really excited, I feel like a young kid again.

"Obviously this year hasn't been to my liking but it's just made me hungrier, especially for the World Cup.

"Complacency had been the main problem for me but you work out of them and to see Stephen Moore, Tatafu and Nathan Charles go down it breeds opportunity and I have to take my opportunity while I'm here."

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sp...string-hooker/

[Buddha Handy]

I thought the forum was going to melt down today with no Hodgo and no Pek!
Harsh on Hodgo but technically not dropped just missing out because of the extra back on the bench.

He should still be there though, they have enough versatility in the backs plus Beale to cover.

[GIGS20]

He should still be there though, they have enough versatility in the backs plus BealeHooper to cover.

Fixed it for you

[valzc]

Links selection decisions are becoming as mysterious & illogical as Deans ever did!

[UnionThug]

Beale was worse than useless when he came on tonight... Offered nothing in attack, several simple errors and pretty much zero defence. Can we please get KG a bench spot for the Argies test next week?

[Reds81]

Beale was worse than useless when he came on tonight... Offered nothing in attack, several simple errors and pretty much zero defence. Can we please get KG a bench spot for the Argies test next week?

Probably been good for him to have played for the Spirit in recent weeks. Before all the ' experts' chime in, isn't Carter playing for Canterbury?

[palitu]

well. I just watched the game and i am going to write this before reading everyone else's posts.

Great game to watch, it didn't open up until the end, which made it fascinating, then heart breaking!

Beale - please pay him to play league, an absolute passenger who did NOTHING all game. Just was not interested.

the back three - Hooper actually had a good game and seemed to be hitting rucks a lot more. Needed more from the 6, I would have had hodgo on WAY before fardy. and if not hodgo, i would play without fardy, 7-man scrum, less poeple to trip over and just as effective. McCalman was solid in defense and rucks, though he wasn't great in attack.

The front three - Faainga (forgive me) played well, and definitely ahead of hanson in terms of starting spot, throws seemed ok, though they tended to avoid them at all costs. Props were solid and offered what they needed to around the park.

locks, well they were average at best, and i do not know who could replace them. Perhaps a bolter from the blue, Wykesy? but then again he isn't the mongrel they need.

9 - Phipps needs a line just for him. how the fuck can an international level half, not be able to pass to the man. there were so many passes high it was ridiculous! That being said, he has earnt his starting spot over white, but what the hell can we do!?

10-12 - Foley was solid as per usual, though nothing spectacular, no errors really. Tomua seemed quiet and perhaps out of depth, didn't offer anything in attack, and was not as solid as usual in defence. who else do we have at 12? Kyle fricken Godwin....

Outside Centre - He also deserves a line, Kurindrani had a blinder and played exactly how i would like rasolea to play - hard and direct running and blasting through the tackles. No pussy footing or kicking! last stats i saw, 10 of his 14 runs were over the gain line.

back three - not too much to say on these, two-dads was solid on the wing and definitely couldn't get 13 back. folau's kicking has gotten better, but i think he needs to get involve a bit more. tomane was workman like, nothing more really.

subs - pathetic (except maybe horwill). in my opinion, the sub lost them the game. Beale - toilet, Robinson - Toilet, Higgenbottom - Toilet. These guys needed to make an impact, not soften the teams attack and defense to the point of 3 tries in 10 minutes and no ball, what ball there was was hurredly knocked on into the Boks.

Boks - great defense which won you the game!

[palitu]

Ah! McCalman was pulled after injuring his shoulder and is back in perth. - i was wondering why he got pulled. He was playing well.

Toomua and Simmons both have head knocks and are out of the argies test.

[GIGS20]

Just a couple of comments from my perspective

Great game to watch, it didn't open up until the end, which made it fascinating, then heart breaking!

tell me about it. I couldn't watch the last try...it was too painful!

Beale - please pay him to play league, an absolute passenger who did NOTHING all game. Just was not interested.

That's a bit unfair mate, Kurtley did something with every ball he touched. He knocked it on, passed it forward or ran it straight into the teeth of the defense. He was worse than bad, he was the key reason they lost the game. Not only deserves to be cut, should also have his contract torn up, because he has singlehandedly cruelled the entire Wallabies season!

The front three - Faainga (forgive me) played well, and definitely ahead of hanson in terms of starting spot, throws seemed ok, though they tended to avoid them at all costs. Props were solid and offered what they needed to around the park.

I've bagged Faingaa plenty in my time, but I'm fair enough to say he had a blinder last night and really looked a Wallaby. Maybe he sucked as a result of complacency and some time on the outer has made him want to earn a spot rather than get it by wearing red.

9 - Phipps needs a line just for him. how the fuck can an international level half, not be able to pass to the man. there were so many passes high it was ridiculous! That being said, he has earnt his starting spot over white, but what the hell can we do!?

Nic White is making Phipps look good. As much as I hate him, I think it's time to look at Genia.

10-12 - Foley was solid as per usual, though nothing spectacular, no errors really. Tomua seemed quiet and perhaps out of depth, didn't offer anything in attack, and was not as solid as usual in defence. who else do we have at 12? Kyle fricken Godwin....

I thought Foley and Toomua were pretty good actually, foley tried plenty, but wasn't getting much clean ball to play with as a result of Phipps' inability to hit a barn door from the inside, but kept trying and didnt make any massive changers. Toomua was workmanlike, but looked amazing in comparison to his replacement.

Outside Centre - He also deserves a line, Kurindrani had a blinder and played exactly how i would like rasolea to play - hard and direct running and blasting through the tackles. No pussy footing or kicking! last stats i saw, 10 of his 14 runs were over the gain line.

OH MY GOD, how many times did Kuridrani pull our bums out of the fire by running straight over the top of people.....and there weren't ordinary people either, he made Jean DeVilliers look like an amateur on more than one occasion and carried Duane Vermuelen on his back at least ten meters.

I think the bones of a good team are there, but Link is searching too hard for some players to fill roles that they just aren't coping with, I think he needs to just bloody pick on form and stop trying to make the world believe that Kurtley Beale (or Michael Hooper, or Sam Carter) is the next big thing.

[shasta]

Just one comment Palitu; I can't understand your criticism of Fardy. I thought he had his best game in quite some time. Matt Burke on 10 was a little critical of him going to ground too easily on his carries, but perhaps that was to instructions?? Apart from that he seemed to have rediscovered his mongrel attitude at the ruck and, without looking at stats, he must have made half a dozen ruck turnovers. He tackled his guts out all day, as did most of them. I'd give him 7 out of 10.

I thought they played with a lot of heart but are still making under-10's skill errors and making poor decisions at critical times. Basically they simply are not in the same class as the AB's and Boks at the moment. They will be well under the pump in Rosario. Really they are a mirror of the game's actual standing in the pecking order of footy codes in Australia in the modern era. Sadly.

[jono]

Agree Shasta, I want to call fardy out as useless. But that's not fair. He actually had a good game.

[James]

Matt Burke on 10 was a little critical of him going to ground too easily on his carries, but perhaps that was to instructions??

That's what I reckon. I also reckon Matt Burke is a dickhead. You have to be careful deciding whether to leg drive or go to ground against the Springboks (same with Ireland). They are very good at holding up ball carriers to win a turnover. I can only remember one instance from the first half and that decision was fine. We didn't make any ground but we did retain possession.

[Sheikh]

Couldn't believe Matt Burke's comments about wanting to see Fardy run with more leg-drive. Was he not watching the game where the Bokke were deliberately keeping players up in the tackle to get a turn-over?

Mind you, as our runners too often got isolated, dying with the ball wasn't always the preferred option.

[palitu]

Just one comment Palitu; I can't understand your criticism of Fardy. I thought he had his best game in quite some time. Matt Burke on 10 was a little critical of him going to ground too easily on his carries, but perhaps that was to instructions?? Apart from that he seemed to have rediscovered his mongrel attitude at the ruck and, without looking at stats, he must have made half a dozen ruck turnovers. He tackled his guts out all day, as did most of them. I'd give him 7 out of 10.

I thought they played with a lot of heart but are still making under-10's skill errors and making poor decisions at critical times. Basically they simply are not in the same class as the AB's and Boks at the moment. They will be well under the pump in Rosario. Really they are a mirror of the game's actual standing in the pecking order of footy codes in Australia in the modern era. Sadly.

Possibly - toiled away without me noticing. I hate not having anyone adept at fetching in the team. There are plenty of forwards who can hit rucks, I just do not think he made enough of an impact. There weren't any moments that i recall (and of course i could be wrong) that he did anything singularly special (i guess the same as McCalman). I reckon there is a better 6 to be had in the team for what we have as 7/8.

[Buddha Handy]

Possibly - toiled away without me noticing. I hate not having anyone adept at fetching in the team. There are plenty of forwards who can hit rucks, I just do not think he made enough of an impact. There weren't any moments that i recall (and of course i could be wrong) that he did anything singularly special (i guess the same as McCalman). I reckon there is a better 6 to be had in the team for what we have as 7/8.

I think you missed a bit, fardy was probably the best wallaby out there after Kuridrani. Played more like an open side than Hooper. The bench cost us the game.