Wallabies latest – Vickerman back for decider
23 Aug 2011
Keo.co.za brings you news from the Wallabies’ camp.
Vickerman back for decider – Wallabies coach Robbie Deans has recalled Dan Vickerman for the Tri-Nations final against the All Blacks.
Vickerman will partner James Horwill in the second row. The Test will mark Horwill’s first as captain of the Wallabies.
Radike Samo is also handed a start for the first time since 2004.
James O’Connor misses out due to a one-match suspension for breaching team protocol. Adam Ashley-Cooper takes O’Connor’s place on the wing while Anthony Faingaa comes in at outside centre.
Wallabies – 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 13 Anthony Fainga’a, 12 Pat McCabe, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Radike Samo, 7 David Pocock, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 James Horwill (c), 4 Dan Vickerman, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Sekope Kepu
Subs: 16 Saia Fainga’a, 17 Salesi Ma’afu, 18 Rob Simmons, 19 Ben McCalman, 20 Scott Higginbotham, 21 Luke Burgess, 22 TBC
22 Comments
23 Aug 2011, 07:51 am
Decider Dragons!
23 Aug 2011, 07:52 am
Should have picked O’Connor, talk about cutting off your nose…
(unless of course the TBC at No.22 is reserved for him)
23 Aug 2011, 07:54 am
Brisbane….tough place to go and win ….I have Wallabies by 5….pity about O Connor….
Imagine Kiwis going nto wc on the back of 2 consecutive losses?
Alarm bells will be ringing….
23 Aug 2011, 08:04 am
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-2:
Yep… or rather bring in another wing and keep the centre combo together (big mistake)… like Lachie Turner (playing for the Barbarians)… although he’ll more than likely be the TBC…
No way I’d not be starting Higgenbotham either…
23 Aug 2011, 08:16 am
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-2:
exactly my point yesterday…
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-4:
hey? i thought his behaviour was a big no-no? thats what you said yesterday….in fact you said he should be dropped and i said they’d be fools?…
23 Aug 2011, 08:19 am
@3,
Let’s hope so, but a collective 40 wins from 49 starts since 2007 should see them feeling pretty comfortable.
23 Aug 2011, 08:27 am
@we have it on good authority that on september 11, a legend will rise…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-5:
I didn’t think they’d drop him… but I agree with why…
23 Aug 2011, 08:27 am
All Blacks by 7
23 Aug 2011, 08:40 am
Aus by 6. All blacks 28-14 scoreline rather flattering considering conrad smith’s knock on try few weeks back. should have been 21-14….this time it’s in Aus backyard and roughly 7-8 reds players to replicate their super 14 victory at suncorp
23 Aug 2011, 08:44 am
7. Pocock
6. Higgenbotham
8. Samo
23 Aug 2011, 08:51 am
@clownface(clownface)-9: ABs will make a statement here !!!! Back in Black !!!
23 Aug 2011, 08:56 am
Was impressed by the Wallabies dominant display at the tackle area vs the Boks in Durban. They sure did man up for the tight affairs during that match.
However, Pat McCabe and Rocky Elsom are still areas of concern.
How the hell can Deans not select Matt Giteau – with 92 test matches – is still unbelievable. McCabe is now in the elite company of De Wet Barry, Marius Joubert, Darryl Gibson
23 Aug 2011, 08:57 am
Higgenbotham is a great impact player, but not yet cutout to start test matches. Deans is a clever coach, and playing McCabe at 12 is working very well for the Wallabies. They were soft up the middle last year, and you can’t have O’Connor, Beale, Cooper and Giteau in a backline together. Not only does it weaken the defence, but it becomes an issue of too many chiefs.
Dropping O’Connor was the right thing to do, and very much in line with ARU policy. It might weaken the team, but he needs to understand his place – a good player, but certainly not irreplaceable.
23 Aug 2011, 08:59 am
With Samo there, this match will be fast and ferocious.
Nice end to end stuff…..
Thus no need for Rocky Elsom….Bring on Higgers for this game
23 Aug 2011, 09:03 am
Why the hell in McCalman still on the bench? Does Higgers cover the looseforward positions?
If any loose forward, then pick Baeu Robinson
WTF, MAFU….
23 Aug 2011, 09:05 am
@Mighty Horua(Mighty Horua)-12:
o’connor possibly getting dropped is more unbelievable
@WOLFMAN21(WOLFMAN21)-13:
its not a done deal yet as there is a tbc on the 22 spot. check above.
23 Aug 2011, 09:32 am
@scrumfan(scrumfan)-10: thats going to be a MEAN loose trio when it plays together
no wonder they had to drop Elsom as Captain van die span
23 Aug 2011, 09:33 am
@we have it on good authority that on september 11, a legend will rise…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-16: O’Connor won’t play, he has been suspended.
The number 22 is open because they have to decide who to select from the Australian Barbarian team, who are playing on Friday, and then select someone else for that team.
I’d imagine the choice is between Barnes, Turner or Mitchell, although I doubt they would risk Mitchell or Barnes, and will probably play Turner despite him not being in the World Cup squad.
23 Aug 2011, 14:37 pm
@stew(stew)-11:
“”@clownface(clownface)-9: ABs will make a statement here !!!! Back in Black !!!”"
I think the same thing however the possibility of a Wallabie win is definitely on the cards! I think there are many Wallabies this year who think it is their year as well, although all the light seems to be on NZ.
24 Aug 2011, 02:18 am
@grant10(grant10)-3:
Dont assume that would necessarily be a bad thing. Another loss would send the ABs back to NZ with genuine focus and a massive wakeup call. Which is often when theyre then at their best. And that has been the one, key, aspect missing in the past 2 RWC-campaigns.
24 Aug 2011, 03:53 am
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-20: And it would lure another 30000 madly-hopeful big-spending Aussie tourists across the Tasman to fill those empty seats and hotel rooms. An AB defeat in the Brisbane test would translate into hundreds ofd millions more dollars in tourist revenue.
24 Aug 2011, 04:42 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-21:
good point.
This seems like a good moment to ring the Captain of the Wairarapa Bush Reserves.
*checks watch*
Better wait for the afternoon milking to finish first.
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