Blake blow to Wobblies
12 Jul 2006
Rodzilla won’t face the Boks on Saturday, but Rattlebones has made a surprisingly quick return to the Australian match 22.
Rodney Blake, dubbed Rodzilla because of his 130 kilogram frame, was seen to be the answer to the Wallabies front row wobbles, but he failed a fitness test and coach John Connolly has been forced to retain the loosehead and tighthead combination that provided the All Blacks with a scrum feast in Christchurch. The only change to the front row is forced through injury as Jeremy Paul returns.
Mat Giteau starts at inside centre ahead of Mat Rogers in the only change to the backline, while Clyde Rathbone is included in the match 22 after initially being ruled out of rugby for six weeks with a hamstring strain.
Connolly told the media Mat Rogers was unluckly to miss out, but that Giteau was due a start. He also said Scott Fava had played consistently well this season and he was confident he would add something different to the loose-trio.
Fava will play at No 8 and Mark Chisolm drops to the subs bench.
Australia: Chris Latham, Mark Gerrard, Stirling Mortlock, Matt Giteau, Lote Tuqiri, Stephen Larkham, George Gregan (capt); Scott Fava, George Smith, Rocky Elsom, Dan Vickerman, Nathan Sharpe, Guy Shepherdson, Jeremy Paul, Greg Holmes. Subs: Sean Hardman, Al Baxter, Mark Chisholm, Phil Waugh, Sam Cordingley, Mat Rogers and Clyde Rathbone.
25 Comments
12 Jul 2006, 06:16 am
I’m not so sure it is Rodney’s frame that weighs 130kg, but all that is attached to the frame!
12 Jul 2006, 06:22 am
And there was I thinking he was there to scrum…very silly!
PS Is it true weepee made him an offer?
12 Jul 2006, 06:32 am
boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo rathbone boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
12 Jul 2006, 06:37 am
When is the Bok team named? it’s about 2:30pm here in Sydney and still no word……
12 Jul 2006, 06:39 am
Just for you steel…named ages ago!
South Africa: Percy Montgomery, Akona Ndungane, Jaque Fourie, Wynard Olivier, Bryan Habana, Jaco van der Westhuyzen, Ricky Januarie; Pierre Spies, Juan smith, Joe van Niekerk, Danie Rossouw, Victor Matfield, CJ van der Linde, John Smit (capt), Os du Randt. Reserves: Danie Coetzee, Eddie Andrews, Albert van der Berg, Jacques Cronje, Fourie du Preez, Meyer Bosman, Breyton Paulse.
12 Jul 2006, 06:42 am
lol dope! these University computers are kak.
12 Jul 2006, 06:47 am
Almost as slow as keo and co…I mean its almost 7 back home!
12 Jul 2006, 06:54 am
I wonder if Vickerman will be able to go 10 minutes without getting treatment this time, last weekend he was on the ground every possible chance!
12 Jul 2006, 07:27 am
He is a doubtful starter Steel, let alone play 10! Inflamed disk, sounds serious to me.
12 Jul 2006, 07:38 am
koos on the ball.sorry no caps busy eating a burger.
12 Jul 2006, 07:39 am
is akone on the wing and starting or what.
12 Jul 2006, 07:40 am
breakfast pompies? Thats the team, he is starting.
12 Jul 2006, 07:52 am
it sounds as if jw is under lots of pressure.
12 Jul 2006, 07:56 am
Aah that’s better morning all. Well not a bad team should give them Ozzie’s a good go . Mind games at the moment . Talk talk talk.
12 Jul 2006, 07:58 am
Koos what’s this rattle bones thing? Do they think he makes a big difference when he plays against the boks or what?
12 Jul 2006, 08:03 am
Well anything he does in this game will be an improvement on what he did against the Irish.
Matt Rogers gets injured and has to go come off he is replaced by Rathbone who gets tackled once and has to go off injured….. LMAO
12 Jul 2006, 08:05 am
He has in the past pompies, so why not this time around!
12 Jul 2006, 08:54 am
This is a stronger team than we faced last week.
12 Jul 2006, 09:03 am
Connolly has again gone for the biggest loosies he can muster, in true “Knuckles” form. What sort of idiot tries to take on SA with size?
12 Jul 2006, 09:31 am
19 ChiefsFan – what kind of idiot selects Saffas on size alone?
Packs about even with RSA slightly ahead. Back line should be fun! Kinda favours the OZ mob
12 Jul 2006, 11:02 am
Remember our own Flipzolla of the 70′s – Flippie van der Merwe – who weighed in at 132kgs which is still the SA record. His son Francois plays for WP who must still be on cloud nine after Province’s win over their nemesis on Saturday.
12 Jul 2006, 11:26 am
I see that Aus have their own Quintin Davids…Sean Hardman. Not the original hardman though.
12 Jul 2006, 14:19 pm
sarky
I kind of favor the Oz loose trio too. Lots of speed there. Wonder of the Boks will see any balls in the loose or how slow they are going to get it. Just hope Honiss is awake to Elsom’s slowing the ball down like against the ABs. “He tried to roll away…” Yeah right.
12 Jul 2006, 18:58 pm
19 Chiefy … the same sort of idiot that tried to take on the AB back line with size
13 Jul 2006, 08:25 am
Chch what’s up with you and chiefie?
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