Wallabies v Wales: Sean McMahon named to make Test debut
Mike Colman in Cardiff
News Corp Australia
November 06, 2014 3:00PM
EXCITING 20-year-old Queenslander Sean McMahon has capped an incredible year with selection in the Wallabies side to face Wales at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.
Back-rower McMahon, who plays for the Melbourne Rebels in the Super Rugby competition, made such an eye-catching Australian debut when called on a replacement for the injured Scott Higginbotham against the Barbarians at Twickenham, that coach Michael Cheika had no hesitation in handing him his first Test cap.
“Going into the Barbarians match it was made clear that players had an opportunity to push their way into the Test team with a strong performance,” Cheika said.
"Sean made the most of his opportunity and brought great work-rate and physicality to our game.
“This selection also recognises the outstanding year he has had at all levels of the game, and he thoroughly deserves the chance to debut for Australia.”
Australian under-20 captain and a member of the bronze-medal winning sevens side at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, McMahon won the Super Rugby Rookie of the Year, NRC Player of the Year and Under-21 Player of the Year at last month’s John Eales Medal night.
“He did his fitness work by going up and down to collect awards all night,” Cheika joked.
McMahon is one of only two changes to the starting side that was narrowly beaten by the All Blacks at Suncorp Stadium on October 18, with Ben McCalman named at No.8.
Former Wallaby captain James Horwill could consider himself unlucky to have missed out after Cheika singled him out for praise after the Barbarians match.
Horwill’s Reds’ teammate Will Genia was luckier, with Cheika handing him a place on the bench ahead of Nic White as back-up half-back to Nick Phipps.
McMahon is one of two uncapped players named in the squad, with Western Force prop Tetera Faulkner earning a spot on an extended nine-man bench.
Faulkner, 26, is a former Australian Schoolboys, under-19 and under-20 representative who has earned 29 Super Rugby caps since debuting for the Western Force in 2011. He has the advantage of being able to play on both sides of the scrum.
WALLABIES TEAM TO FACE WALES
WALLABIES (1-15): James Slipper, Saia Fainga’a, Sekope Kepu, Sam Carter, Rob Simmons, Sean McMahon, Michael Hooper, Ben McCalman, Nick Phipps, Bernard Foley, Joe Tomane, Christian Leali’ifano, Tevita Kuridrani, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Israel Folau.
Reserves (one to be omitted): James Hanson, Tetera Faulkner, Ben Alexander, James Horwill, Will Skelton, Matt Hodgson, Will Genia, Quade Cooper, Rob Horne.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/wa...-1227114770692