Return Of Shepherd Headlines Star-Studded Australia A Squad

[NewsBot]

Return Of Shepherd Headlines Star-Studded Australia A Squad

Emirates Western Force winger Cameron Shepherd will make his first representative appearance for 2007 on Saturday as selectors named the Australia A team for the highly-anticipated iRB Pacific Nations Cup showdown with the Junior All Blacks at Carisbrook Park in Dunedin...

[prop53]

welcome back sheps

[Burgs]

Barnes must be injured surely?
I thought he has had a couple of blinders over the last couple of weeks and has shown far more than Two Dads ever has.
No complaints about Hardy or Sare however, I think Pocock is twice the player the Salvi is and, if fit, has been stooged with a "jobs for the boys" by Catweezle.

Return Of Shepherd Headlines Star-Studded Australia A Squad

Wednesday, June 13, 2007 2:20pm
ARU/RugbyWA

Emirates Western Force winger Cameron Shepherd will make his first representative appearance for 2007 on Saturday as selectors named the Australia A team for the highly-anticipated iRB Pacific Nations Cup showdown with the Junior All Blacks at Carisbrook Park in Dunedin.

Ryan Cross and Junior Pelesasa will continue their partnership in the centres, while Troy Takiari will start on the bench. There was no room in the squad for David Pocock, Haig Sare or Gareth Hardy.

There are a total of nine changes to the starting line-up which defeated Japan 71-10 last Saturday in Townsville, including the introduction of Waratahs and Wallabies fly-half Sam Norton-Knight.

Reds utility back Clinton Schifcofske has been ruled out of this weekend’s Australia A line-up through injury.

“Clinton has been traveling with a calf strain and it has not improved,” coach Laurie Fisher said today.

“That means Lachie Turner (Waratahs) will come onto the bench,” he said.

The Australia A squad also welcomes into the starting line-up Reds and Wallabies prop Rodney Blake, who has recovered after ankle surgery and Reds and Wallabies lock/flanker Hugh McMeniman, also back from injury.

Try scorer for the Wallabies in his debut Test against Wales, Digby Ioane has been named on the wing.

“With Digby and Cameron in the line-up we will have no shortage of pace out wide, and with Rodney and Hugh back on the paddock there is no shortage of grunt up front,” Laurie Fisher added.

Both Australia A and the Junior All Blacks are unbeaten in the Pacific Nations Cup Series to date.

Australia A:

1. Nic Henderson
2. Tatafu Polota-Nau
3. Rodney Blake
4. Alister Campbell (c)
5. James Horwill
6. Hugh McMeniman
7. Julian Salvi
8. David Lyons

9. Josh Holmes
10. Sam Norton-Knight
11. Digby Ioane
12. Ryan Cross
13. Junior Pelesasa
14. Cameron Shepherd
15. Peter Hewat

16. Sean Hardman
17. Troy Takiari
18. Dean Mumm
19. Jone Tawake
20. Josh Valentine
21. Gene Fairbanks
22. Lachlan Turner

Head Coach: Laurie Fisher

Kick-off for the match is 2.30pm Local Time. The game will be televised on ABC2 from 5.30pm AEST