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July 23, 2007 - 11:03pm
http://aru.rugby.com.au/news/qantas_.../section/21893
Australian Rugby’s showpiece awards night provided the perfect backdrop this evening for the unveiling of the Qantas Wallabies Squad for the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
ARU Managing Director & CEO John O’Neill AO announced the 30-man squad at the annual John Eales Medal Dinner in Brisbane.
Stirling Mortlock celebrated a fine winter Test campaign by being named captain of the team, while Phil Waugh and George Gregan while share the vice-captaincy in France.
Qantas Wallabies Coach John Connolly said Mortlock’s nomination for the Wallabies captaincy at the World Cup was testament to his on-field leadership throughout the 2007 season.
“Stirling embraced the captaincy role during the Tri Nations and really led from the front with his performances on the field,” said Connolly.
“He’s a player that the other players enjoy playing with and his leadership has grown immensely during the season.”
Queensland’s Berrick Barnes and Greg Holmes earned selection despite playing in none of the seven Wallabies Test matches in the 2007 Bundaberg Rum Rugby Series.
At age 21, Barnes is the youngest member of the World Cup squad and is the only uncapped player on the 30-man list, while Holmes is set to return for the Wallabies after recovering from a shoulder reconstruction.
Back rowers David Lyons and Wycliff Palu were both included in the squad, despite both players carrying injuries.
Lyons will visit a haematologist in Sydney tomorrow (Tuesday) to determine his ongoing treatment for Deep Vein Thrombosis, while Palu continues to nurse a shoulder injury.
The squad will complete three training camps in Australia, the first of which will be held in Manly from Tuesday 31 July, prior to their departure for the World Cup on August 23.
The squad will then embark on a week-long pre-tournament camp in Portugal and a promotional visit to Paris before arriving at their World Cup training base in Montpellier on August 31.
The Wallabies have been drawn in Pool B of the tournament and will play their opening pool match against Japan in Lyon on 8 September before matches against Wales (in Cardiff), Fiji (in Montpellier) and Canada (in Bordeaux).
The Wallabies squad includes fourteen players with previous World Cup experience, with Gregan preparing for his fourth and final World Cup before making his retirement from international rugby.
Utility back Scott Staniforth is one of eleven players in the squad making a second World Cup appearance, but his achievement is even more remarkable in that it is eight years since he played in his first World Cup in 1999.
Stephen Larkham and Chris Latham will each play in their third successive World Cup.
The Wallabies will be aiming for a third World Cup title in France having previously won the Webb Ellis Cup in 1991 and 1999.
Connolly said selectors faced some hard decisions in finalising the 30-man squad.
“A number of selections were very tight and you feel for the players that have missed out (on the squad), but we are very comfortable with the squad we have selected and we’re certain they will acquit themselves well in France,” said Connolly.
Qantas Wallabies squad for the 2007 Rugby World Cup
(players listed alphabetically)
Adam Ashley-Cooper, Berrick Barnes, Alistair Baxter, Mark Chisholm, Sam Cordingley, Matt Dunning, Rocky Elsom, Adam Freier, Mark Gerrard, Matt Giteau, George Gregan (vc), Sean Hardman, Stephen Hoiles, Greg Holmes, Julian Huxley, Stephen Larkham, Chris Latham, David Lyons, Hugh McMeniman, Drew Mitchell, Stephen Moore, Stirling Mortlock (c), Wycliff Palu, Nathan Sharpe, Guy Shepherdson, George Smith, Scott Staniforth, Lote Tuqiri, Dan Vickerman, Phil Waugh (vc).
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Originally Posted by Haji
