Mix of old and new for Wallabies

Mix of old and new for Wallabies

7 Aug 2012

The returns of Drew Mitchell and Radike Samo and the selection of youngsters Liam Gill and Jake Schatz highlight the 30-man Wallabies squad for the Rugby Championship.

Mitchell and Samo missed the June Tests, but coach Robbie Deans believes their experience and skills will be valuable in the tournament.

Three uncapped players named on Tuesday include Gill and Schatz, recent captains of Australia’s U21 side, and the Brumbies’ impressive flank Michael Hooper.

Nathan Sharpe continues to be a central part of Deans’s plans, the 34-year-old earlier agreeing to delay his retirement to stay on for the Rugby Championship

Wallabies squad:

Ben Alexander, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Berrick Barnes, Kurtley Beale, Quade Cooper, Dave Dennis, Kane Douglas, Anthony Faingaa, Saia Faingaa, Will Genia, Liam Gill, Mike Harris, Scott Higginbotham, Michael Hooper, Rob Horne, Digby Ioane, Sekope Kepu, Drew Mitchell, Stephen Moore, Nick Phipps, David Pocock (capt), Tatafu Polota-Nau, Benn Robinson, Radike Samo, Jake Schatz, Nathan Sharpe, Rob Simmons, James Slipper, Sitaleki Timani, Nic White


15 Comments

  • 1.coma: Reply to this comment
    7 Aug 2012, 08:56 am

    Wooden spoon Dragons!!!

  • 2.Te Rangatira: Reply to this comment
    7 Aug 2012, 09:00 am

    Wallabies are in dire need of some big ball runners in the mould of Willie O & Owen Finnegan

  • 3.Brigadier Van Zyl: Reply to this comment
    7 Aug 2012, 09:03 am

    But didnt nathan sharpe get screwed by deans just last year……sharpe has way more calibre than deans

  • 4.BrumbiesBoy: Reply to this comment
    7 Aug 2012, 09:18 am

    @Te Rangatira-2: Would like to see Fotu Auelua get given a run or two…

  • 5.wait for it, wait for it...: Reply to this comment
    7 Aug 2012, 09:19 am

    @Brigadier Van Zyl-3:
    deans is desperate.

  • 6.Sasuke: Reply to this comment
    7 Aug 2012, 09:23 am

    Not a bad squad.

  • 7.Te Rangatira: Reply to this comment
    7 Aug 2012, 09:41 am

    @BrumbiesBoy-4:
    Yeah thats the guy, just needs to work on his workrate and those No 8 skills like covering.

  • 8.ufo: Reply to this comment
    7 Aug 2012, 10:02 am

    how long is james horwill out for…?

    pity he’s not there… they gonna miss him…

  • 9.gonzo: Reply to this comment
    7 Aug 2012, 10:26 am

    Australia has an U21 side? That seems a bit unfair considering every other country’s junior side is U20

  • 10.viewer: Reply to this comment
    7 Aug 2012, 13:59 pm

    These Australians have had a longer preparation time ahead of the RC

  • 11.mako: Reply to this comment
    7 Aug 2012, 17:00 pm

    this squad has the potential to win a couple of games, but definitely no the championship. That will come down to Boks/ABs. Going to be an interesting season!

  • 12.mshiniwami: Reply to this comment
    7 Aug 2012, 18:23 pm

    Look down at Wallabies at your peril

    Boks especially

    They will beat us this year and can run us close at home

    And we will be “shocked” once again…..blah blah blah if we employ kick chase smash smash limited game that
    We illustrAted vs England especially in Eastern Cape Test we will get snorted

    1.Robinson 2.Moore 3.Kepu 4.Sharpe 5.Simmons 6.Higginbotham 7.Pocock 8.Samo
    9 Genia 10.Cooper 11.Ioane 12.McCabe 13.Ashley-Cooper 14 Mitchell 15.Beale

    Can beat Meyer’s Boks

  • 13.Hurricane: Reply to this comment
    8 Aug 2012, 04:04 am

    @mshiniwami-12:
    I know. Some of these guys have very short memories.
    Two years in a row SA has taken the wooden spoon in the 3 nations.

  • 14.SAussie/QldRed: Reply to this comment
    8 Aug 2012, 04:35 am

    I like the fact that Mitchell has returned to the wing, He makes a great back three with Digby and Beale, Deans also has seemed to learn a lesson with Cooper, got the makings of pretty good team, They also had plenty of time to prepare so there should be no excuses

  • 15.munkiboi: Reply to this comment
    8 Aug 2012, 09:51 am

    aussies and boks fighting for runner up spot. kiwis will be hard to beat. most settled team and coaching setup. plus they win this thing most of the time anyway.

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