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Queensland props Ben Daley and James Slipper could make their Test debuts for Australia on the same night after today being listed among six changes to the Qantas Wallabies match night squad for Saturday’s Bundaberg Red Rugby Series Test against England in Perth.
The 21-year-old Daley will play his maiden Test after being named to start at loosehead prop in the first of the two-game series against England for the Cook Cup. He is one of four changes to the starting XV from last weekend’s 49-3 win over Fiji in Canberra.
The others see Queensland Reds hooker Saia Faingaa promoted from the bench swapping roles with Huia Edmonds, while James’ O’Connor’s three-try performance for the Australian Barbarians against England in Perth on Tuesday night has proved too irresistible to ignore, with the 19-year-old displacing Kurtley Beale at fullback. Beale has been retained on the bench.
The final change to the run on combination places Drew Mitchell on the wing, at the expense of the injured Adam Ashley-Cooper.
Daley, whose introduction to the Test squad was delayed by a shoulder injury, will become the 842nd player to represent Australia in Test matches. The son of former Australian rugby league international Phil Daley, he is coming off a Super Rugby season for Queensland which saw him start in all 12 games for which he was available.
He will be joined in Qantas Wallabies Company by Slipper – last year’s Australian Under-20 Player of the Year – should the newcomer be required off the bench.
Although not utilized by Queensland in a starting role until the tail end of this year’s Investec Bank Super 14, Slipper performed strongly in the opportunities he received, and showcased his versatility on Tuesday night when he played on both sides of the scrum for the Australian Barbarians.
The presence of Slipper, who was not an original selection in the Qantas Wallabies squad, instead being included among the Barbarians group; is one of three personnel alterations among the run on reserves from last weekend’s Test match.
Queensland Reds captain Will Genia re-enters from the bench, after missing the season opener as he rehabilitated from a medial ligament strain in his knee.
NSW Waratahs flyhalf Berrick Barnes is also included, after helping the Barbarians to land a 28-28 draw with England during Tuesday night’s tour opener in Perth.
Qantas Wallabies coach Robbie Deans says the choices made today were all form related, rewarding players who had excelled.
“The tour match midweek helped us a lot to that end,” Deans says, “in terms of finalising the combination. The quality shown by James [O’Connor] was simply impossible to ignore, Berrick showed the leadership and direction we were looking for, while James [Slipper] made an impact when he came off the bench.
“Importantly, he [Slipper] offers us cover on both sides of the scrum, which is something that we lost to some extent with the injury that was sustained last week by Ben Alexander.”
Faingaa has similarly been rewarded, after making a strong impact during his Test debut last week against Fiji where he played the final 25 minutes of the game.
His selection had been hinted at when he was omitted from the midweek Tour match squad.
Such has been the level of the turnover in the Australian side: just four players remain in the run on XV from the starting combination when the two sides met last November.
While skipper Rocky Elsom is the only survivor from Australia’s starting pack during the 18-9 win over England at Twickenham, flanker David Pocock and lock Dean Mumm both later featured from the bench.
Among the backs, Mitchell, flyhalf Quade Cooper and inside centre Matt Giteau are the only returnees, although halfback Luke Burgess and fullback O’Connor were un-used substitutes last time. Cooper and Giteau have swapped backline numbers in the time since.
Deans says the turnover in playing resources reflects Australia’s current circumstance with relation to injuries, but also highlights the country’s developing depth, and the greater competition for places within his squad.
“We’ve broadened the playing base a fair bit, and Saturday is a great opportunity for the newer players,” Deans says.
“We’ve already seen a few guys put their hands up in the first two outings that we’ve had as a squad. We will be looking for more of the same on the weekend coming!”
England will field a vastly experienced side, and Deans says his men have no illusions as to the size of the challenge that lies ahead.
“They’ve got a group of great experience in all types of circumstance that is looking to impress,” Deans says.
“We saw many of the traits we will see again this weekend during the Tour match on Tuesday night – most notably the composure England showed after falling behind in the game, and also the direct nature of their play.
“Martin [Johnson] and his team will be determined to deliver a statement of intent, both looking ahead to the rest of this tour but also on to next year and the Rugby World Cup, there’s no doubt about that.”
Australia has won its last two meetings with England, 28-14 two years ago, and by nine points last November. Both games were played in London.
The Qantas Wallabies team to play England in the Cook Cup Test at Subiaco Oval, Perth, on Saturday 12 June, 6.05pm kick off [Perth] is:
1. Ben Daley (Queensland Reds)
2. Saia Faingaa (Queensland Reds)
3. Salesi Ma’afu (Brumbies)
4. Dean Mumm (NSW Waratahs)
5. Nathan Sharpe (Western Force)
6. Rocky Elsom (Brumbies, captain)
7. David Pocock (Western Force)
8. Richard Brown (Western Force)
9. Luke Burgess (NSW Waratahs)
10. Quade Cooper (Queensland Reds)
11. Drew Mitchell (NSW Waratahs)
12. Matt Giteau (Brumbies)
13. Rob Horne (NSW Waratahs)
14. Digby Ioane (Queensland Reds)
15. James O’Connor (Western Force)
Run On Reserves:
16. Huia Edmonds (Brumbies)
17. James Slipper (Queensland Reds)
18. Mark Chisholm (Brumbies)
19. Matt Hodgson (Western Force)
20. Will Genia (Queensland Reds)
21. Berrick Barnes (NSW Waratahs)
22. Kurtley Beale (NSW Waratahs)
Australia v England – Historical Notes
- This is the 38th Test match between Australia and England. Australia has won 22 and England 14 while the 1997 contest in London resulted in a 15-15 draw.
- Australia has won 13 of the 15 matches played between the two countries on Australian soil.
- Both of England’s wins in Australia occurred in the same year – 2003, firstly 25-14 at Melbourne in the Cook Cup Test, and then 20-17 (after extra time) in the Rugby World Cup final at Sydney, five months later. Current England manager, Martin Johnson, was captain in both of those games.
- On Saturday night, Australia is bidding for three consecutive wins over England, which it has achieved just twice previously – between 1984 and 1988 (when Australia won a record four consecutive games) and between 1998 and 1999 (when it won three straight).
- The two teams compete for the Cook Cup, which was established in 1997. The Cup is named after Captain James Cook and is currently held by Australia.
- Although the links between the countries are undoubtedly close, the intensity of the rivalry between the two is a relatively modern phenomenon. This is evidenced by the fact that only six Tests had been played prior to the 1970s. Australia and England have twice met in Rugby World Cup finals, sharing the spoils one apiece, each having prevailed on the other’s home turf.
- Saturday night is the 11th Test to be played by Australia in Perth since 1998. Australia has won six, lost three and drawn one from previous Test outings in the city. All three previous defeats, and the draw, were Tests played against South Africa.
- England has never played Australia in Perth, but did beat both Georgia (84-6) and South Africa (25-6) at Subiaco Oval in 2003 during the run to that year’s Rugby World Cup title.
- Subiaco Oval is the home ground for the Western Australian-based Australian Rules football teams – the West Coast Eagles and the Freemantle Dockers. The ground dates back to 1896 when the first recorded game of Australian Rules football was played on the site.
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