The Wallabies team for Tokyo

[The Man]

Here we go


Adam Ashley-Cooper,Digby Ioane, Ryan Cross,Berrick Barnes , Peter Hynes,Matt Giteau, Will Genia, Wycliff Palu,David Pocock, Rocky Elsom, Mark Chisholm, James Horwill,Ben Alexander, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Benn Robinson

The Bench

Stephen Moore, Matt Dunning, Dean Mumm, George Smith, James O’Connor, Drew Mitchell and Luke Burgess

[TOCC]

^^i like it, except for Cross at 13

[travelling_gerry]

Flanker David Pocock will start against the All Blacks

There are four personnel changes and one positional alteration in the Qantas Wallabies starting side that has been named today for Saturday’s historic Bledisloe Cup Test against New Zealand in Japan.

Wingers Digby Ioane and Peter Hynes, centre Ryan Cross and No 8 Wycliff Palu are the new faces from the run on combination which lost the closing Bundaberg Rum Tri Nations match in New Zealand last month.

Adam Ashley-Cooper has reverted from centre to fullback in the place of James O’Connor.

O’Connor is listed among the run on reserves, alongside George Smith. Matt Dunning also makes his return from injury among the substitutes. He and Ioane, who have both been sidelined by injury this year, have not featured for Australia since last year’s Spring Tour of Europe.

Ashley-Cooper has started 13 Tests for Australia in the number 15 jersey over the past two seasons; the most recent of which was against South Africa at Cape Town in the second match of the Tri Nations. His last four Test appearances have all come in the midfield, three at outside centre, and one at inside centre.

“Returning Adam to fullback helps with the balance of the side,” Wallabies coach Robbie Deans says.

“It is not a slight on the performance of James O’Connor at all. He’s already had a big year, which it must be remembered has been his first at this level. We’re wary of over exposing James and will be looking to manage his involvements through this tour.”

Ashley-Cooper's relocation, plus the absence of former captain Stirling Mortlock due to a torn calf, has opened the way for Cross to return at centre, where he played during the Test win over the All Blacks in Sydney last year.

Saturday will be his 16th Test, and his third start of the year, after Cross previously featured in the run on XV against Italy at Melbourne and South Africa at Perth.

“Ryan has worked hard on the training paddock to gain this opportunity,” Deans says.

Likewise Hynes and Palu gain their third starts of the campaign, with Hynes having featured in the run on XV against Italy (Melbourne) and South Africa (Perth) while Palu started in the first two Tri Nations matches in Auckland and Cape Town.

The addition of Cross and Palu provide the Qantas Wallabies with added size in the midfield, and amongst the loose trio, where Palu has swapped duties with Smith from the Wellington Test.

He will combine with openside David Pocock and the new Wallabies skipper Rocky Elsom, who becomes Australia’s 76th Test captain.

While the match will be a big occasion personally for Australia’s new skipper, he says it is a massive event for the entire touring party.

“None of us were happy with our most recent performance,” Elsom says.

“This is the first Bledisloe Cup Test to have been played in Japan and our final opportunity against the All Blacks for the year, so it’s vital for us to produce a complete performance.”

Elsom added it was important for the confidence of his touring group that it maximized its opportunities this weekend.

“That’s not something we have done of late, and we know more than anyone that it is critical,” Elsom says.

Deans echoed his skipper’s sentiments, saying there was still plenty for the Qantas Wallabies to play for even though the Bledisloe Cup could no longer be won by Australia this year.

“The significance of the occasion – with it being the first Bledisloe Cup game to be played in front of a Japanese audience – demands a spectacle, and I’m sure that you will see that,” Deans says.

“These are two proud nations, and the players are proud to be putting on their national jumpers. I’m sure that will reflect in their performance.”

The Qantas Wallabies team to play New Zealand in the Bledisloe Cup Test at the National Stadium, Tokyo, Japan on Saturday 31 October, 5.35pm kick off (7.35pm, AEST), is:

1. Benn Robinson (NSW Waratahs)
2. Tatafu Polota-Nau (NSW Waratahs)
3. Ben Alexander (Brumbies)
4. James Horwill (Queensland Reds)
5. Mark Chisholm (Brumbies)
6. Rocky Elsom (Brumbies, captain)
7. David Pocock (Western Force)
8. Wycliff Palu (NSW Waratahs)

9. Will Genia (Queensland Reds)
10. Matt Giteau (Western Force)
11. Digby Ioane (Queensland Reds)
12. Berrick Barnes (Queensland Reds)
13. Ryan Cross (Western Force)
14. Peter Hynes (Queensland Reds)
15. Adam Ashley-Cooper (Brumbies)


Run on reserves:
16. Stephen Moore (Brumbies)
17. Matt Dunning (Western Force)
18. Dean Mumm (NSW Waratahs)
19. George Smith (Brumbies)
20. Luke Burgess (NSW Waratahs)
21. Drew Mitchell (Western Force)
22. James O’Connor (Western Force)



Australia v New Zealand – Historical Notes
+ This is the 160th match of a trans-Tasman rivalry between teams representing Australia and New Zealand that dates back to 1903 when New Zealand won the inaugural meeting 22-3 in Sydney. These figures include 39 matches played between 1920 and 1928 when NSW represented Australia in matches that were granted official Test status by the Australian Rugby Union.

+ Of the 159 games played between the two nations, New Zealand has won 109 and Australia 45, with five draws – the most recent of which occurred 20 years ago, 19-19 in 1988.

+ The Bledisloe Cup was donated by the then Governor General of New Zealand, Lord Bledisloe, for competition between the two countries in 1931.

+ Australia won the trophy for the first time in 1934, beating New Zealand 25-11 in Sydney.

+ This is just the second Bledisloe Cup Test, and the third game between Australia and New Zealand overall, to have been played on neutral territory. Australia beat New Zealand 16-6 at Dublin in Ireland in a 1991 Rugby World Cup semi-final. The All Blacks then beat Australia 19-14 during last year’s historic Bledisloe Cup tie in Hong Kong.

+ Matt Giteau has scored 32 points from three appearances against the All Blacks this year, which has taken his career tally to 93 from 16 games. Should he score the seven he needs to raise 100 against New Zealand in Tokyo, the 27-year-old will become just the fourth player in history (& the third Australian) to surpass a century of points against the All Blacks. He would also complete a notable career double; having earlier this year become just the seventh player from any country to have surpassed a century of points in Tests against South Africa.

+ Giteau also needs just one conversion to tie the record for the most by any player against New Zealand – which stands at 16 held by South African Percy Montgomery. Giteau has kicked the last 13 of his conversions against the All Blacks in succession.

+If he takes the field from the run on reserves bench, George Smith will be playing his 24th Test against the All Blacks. This would move him beyond Tim Horan, and into outright 3rd, in terms of the most caps achieved by any player against the All Blacks. Only two players from any country – and they are both Australians: David Campese (29) and George Gregan (27) – have played more Tests against New Zealand.

http://www.rugby.com.au/news/wallabi.../section/21893

[KenyaQuin]

Happy to see Genia start..see if he's got the goods to start.

[beige]

Apparently the JRFU is not entirely happy with how the game's promoters Dentsu have been handling things - among other things, setting ticket prices too high, not scheduling a Japan game as a curtain-raiser and selling the television rights to a television station called WOWOW...

[BDAVEY]

Predictable team selection I feel I feel for Smith, gee he must be thinking he should of taken that OS signing. Good to see Crossy there get them going straight and has the ability to off load. Digby will give 150% I hope he is fit enough!!

[GIGS20]

Gits at #10

*slaps head

[The InnFORCEr]

Apparently the JRFU is not entirely happy with how the game's promoters Dentsu have been handling things - among other things, setting ticket prices too high, not scheduling a Japan game as a curtain-raiser and selling the television rights to a television station called WOWOW...

It could have been worse, they could have given the rights to 7

[palitu]

apparently, the eurpoean tour is going to be live on ONE. that'll be good, and we wont have to go to the casino...

[jargan83]

Happy to see Genia start..see if he's got the goods to start.

Didn't Genia start the last Test?

[TOCC]

Didn't Genia start the last Test?

genia has started the last 2

---------- Post added at 13:08 ---------- Previous post was at 13:05 ----------

apparently, the eurpoean tour is going to be live on ONE. that'll be good, and we wont have to go to the casino...

actually think the plan is to have the matches live on channel 10, and a delayed replay on one hd

[jargan83]

genia has started the last 2

I thought it was the last 2, but wasn't sure

actually think the plan is to have the matches live on channel 10, and a delayed replay on one hd

It will probably end up like the AFL and be simulcast on both 10 and OneHD when shown live, and any replay being shown on OneHD

[PerthGirl]

One is advertising the games as being live

[TOCC]

One is advertising the games as being live

well maybe thats how they are broadcasting it in perth

[The InnFORCEr]

Berrick Barnes has rolled his ankle at training today and is off to hospital for scans. Depending on severity, he could miss this week and possibly the rest of the tour.

Who's going to be Vice Captain now, Bam Bam or Gits???