Wallabies name four debutants

[tdevil]

Luke Burgess and Peter Hynes will each make their Test debut after being named in Australia's side to play Ireland in Melbourne on Saturday night.

New South Wales half-back Burgess and Queensland winger Hynes are the two fresh faces in the first run-on side selected by Wallabies head coach Robbie Deans and his assistants, Jim Williams and Michael Foley.

Western Force centre Ryan Cross and New South Wales lock Dean Mumm are also likely to win a first cap after being named among the run-on reserves for the Lansdowne Cup Test at Telstra Dome.

“We said, when we selected our initial squad, that we saw all of the players as being ready to go, and our selection of four new caps today follows through on that philosophy,"Dean said.

“We’ve been impressed with the attitude and the enthusiasm that all of the players have brought into camp. It wasn’t an easy side to pick.”

Burgess, 24, won the race to the half-back spot after an impressive debut campaign for the Waratahs, for whom he featured in 12 of the 14 matches played by Super 14 finalists.

Hynes, 25, who made his Super rugby debut for the Reds in 2003, scored five tries during the recent campaign, including one against the Deans-coached Crusaders. The fair-haired speedster is widely experienced at that level, having advanced his career appearance tally in Super rugby during the course of the recent competition to 55 matches.

Cross and Mumm are poised to add their names to the Test list after having performed impressively for their respective provinces in their second season in Super rugby.

The other features of the first Wallabies line-up for 2008 include the reshaped pairing of Matt Giteau and Berrick Barnes in the inside backs, with Deans opting to play Giteau at five-eighth after he played outside Barnes during the Rugby World Cup last year.

Of the line-up that fronted for the Wallabies’ final match of last season, against England in the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals, just 10 of the starting XV have been re-selected in the run-on side.

Cameron Shepherd won the race to the vacant full-back jersey, with Adam Ashley-Cooper covering the position from the bench, while experienced Reds half-back Sam Cordingley backs up Burgess.

Reds hooker Stephen Moore has been combined in the front row alongside New South Wales props Benn Robinson and Matt Dunning, with the latter at tight head after he started at loose head against England.

Queensland second-row James Horwill continues the rapid rise that saw him lead his province in the Super 14 by being named to partner Nathan Sharpe in the engine room of the scrum.

Brumbies flanker George Smith has been selected to start on the open side, although Deans has made it clear that his side will pursue a high-tempo game, which will mean there will also be a role for his understudy, New South Wales skipper Phil Waugh.

“Saturday night is the starting point for us as a group. It is an opportunity we’re all looking forward too,” Deans said.

“As they showed last weekend in Wellington (against New Zealand), the Irish can be a difficult opponent to play, and they have historically troubled Australia.”

Australia have won 18 of their 26 Tests against Ireland, but the visitors won the most recent clash between the sides, 21-6 in Dublin in 2006.

“They’re an experienced unit, with some world class players in the form of the likes of (centre) Brian O’Driscoll and (lock) Paul O’Connell, who are up there with the best individuals in the game,” Deans said.

“They’ve also had a week on us, in terms of getting a game together as a combination, which we obviously haven’t yet had. Then there is the reality that this match will revert back to the pre-ELV laws. That adds to the challenge ahead, but is a circumstance that we’ve known about for a long time, and is something we’ve prepared for.”

The Wallabies team to play Ireland in the one-off Lansdowne Cup rugby union Test at Melbourne's Telstra Dome on Saturday night:

1. Benn Robinson
2. Stephen Moore
3. Matt Dunning
4. Nathan Sharpe
5. James Horwill
6. Rocky Elsom
7. George Smith
8. Wycliff Palu

9. Luke Burgess
10. Matt Giteau
11. Lote Tuqiri
12. Berrick Barnes
13. Stirling Mortlock (capt)
14. Peter Hynes
15. Cameron Shepherd


Reserves: Adam Freier, Al Baxter, Dean Mumm, Phil Waugh, Sam Cordingley, Ryan Cross, Adam Ashley-Cooper.

[zimeric]

tdevil - mightve been better to just have a short blurb and link to the original site.

but that aside.. awesome lineup if i do say so myself even if there are only three force boys in the run-on squad
browny musta just missed out due to limited forwards spots on the bench!
well done Sheps, Gits, Sharpie & Crossy!!

[Burgs]

Refreshing to be able to read it all in one place, damn you copyright
Had me scratching my head a little until I re read the article, they've listed #5 and #6 wrong way round if you want to change it tdevil.

Unless he's carrying an injury I'd reckon Chisholm would be a little peeved, from what I saw he should have been a shoe-in for the first Test.
Seems a pretty fair Squad overall from those available though I guess, will be watching Hynes pretty closely to see what all the hype has been about, never seen anything in him in previous seasons that's for sure.

[chook]

He is able to spear tackle and get angry quite quickly from my observations. Might be a stink on.

[tdevil]

Had me scratching my head a little until I re read the article, they've listed #5 and #6 wrong way round if you want to change it tdevil.

Done, Thanks Burgs

[GIGS20]

He is able to spear tackle and get angry quite quickly from my observations. Might be a stink on.

You read my mind Chook, you you feel less of a man now?

Hynes is a reaonably solid but not spectacular winger who has a bit of zip and plays the angry and game. I'm not sure of his Wallabies credentials, but you never know, stranger things have happened than for him to pull out a blinder and change my mind.

Like Chook, I'd give him a vote for "player most likely to smack somebody bigger than him in the gob before the end of the match"....and he's in a team including Jimmy Horwill and Rocky Elsom!

[KenyaQuin]

Hynes over Digby is a good call I would think..but not sure about his call over Lachie Turner.

Happy for Cross, hope he gets some good game time considering this is a simple one-off test (30 minutes atleast, Deano..please?).

Also, hope Sheps has a good run, with quite a bit of competition for this position, any slip up may result in a significant penalty.

[force addict]

can anyone clear up my confusion as to why Brownie isn't even on the bench???

[Tazzmania]

Nice to see that the three of the four (hopefully, four out of four when Gits signs) Force players in the squad, where ones that signed contract extentions with us this year. Go the Wallabies!

[BLR]

Hynes= Yawn, the Australian Scott Hamilton, I freaking bet you.

[gustafsl]

can anyone clear up my confusion as to why Brownie isn't even on the bench???

I suspect that Deans will be rotating during the first three games. So my guess is that he wants Brownie to start next week and get a good 60 minutes, rather than have him come off the bench for only 20 or so.

Does seem like they are a bit thin for back row coverage this week. Would be nice to have Brownie in there. Not sure who would move to 8 if Palu went down...but that's Deans' problem. And Mumm isn't that great at 6, so a bit weak there as well.

[gustafsl]

1. Benn Robinson
2. Stephen Moore
3. Matt Dunning
4. Nathan Sharpe
5. James Horwill
6. Rocky Elsom
7. George Smith
8. Wycliff Palu

9. Luke Burgess
10. Matt Giteau
11. Lote Tuqiri
12. Berrick Barnes
13. Stirling Mortlock (capt)
14. Peter Hynes
15. Cameron Shepherd


Reserves: Adam Freier, Al Baxter, Dean Mumm, Phil Waugh, Sam Cordingley, Ryan Cross, Adam Ashley-Cooper.

Looks alright. Few too many Tahs in there though. Think some of them have got in by default, IE Dunning, Baxter, Freier....other options aren't much of an improvement so guess the status quo has to be.

Also not sure about Cordingley. Don't see why you waste a spot on a guy who can only play one position when you have Giteau in there who could cover for Burgess.

[no.8]

So ths is what Deansy has come up with...I'll be interested to see if he get the boys to:

1. Play as team. I still remember the Montpellier shambles!
2. Get the ball wide and see if Hynes has got what it takes and see if Tuiri has still got what it takes.
3. Transparency - Can we play without Gregan's leadership, Larkham's skills, Latham's go forward ball and the big one Vickerman's set piece control!

I guess we'll just have to watch and learn. I can't wait until we smash those Paddies!

[Darren]

10 Waratahs (6+4), 5 Reds (4+1), 4 Force (3+1) and 3 Brumbies (2+1)

[TOCC]

well hynes was the leading try scorer out of the Australian S14 backs at the end of the S14 14 rounds, they werent exactly gimme tries that he scored either.

I dont think Cordingley should be in the team, im not a massive fan of the props either, in saying that i dont think i could name better props in the country though .