Deans sticks with tried and tested

Deans sticks with tried and tested

14 Aug 2012

The Wallabies have named Scott Higginbotham at No 8 and Anthony Fainga’a at inside centre for their opening match of the Rugby Championship against the All Blacks in Sydney.

Mike Harris lost out to Reds team-mate Fainga’a as the replacement for the injured Pat McCabe, while Higginbotham, who started at blindside flanker during the third Test win over Wales, takes over from the injured Wycliff Palu at eighthman.

Berrick Barnes retains the No 10 jersey with Quade Cooper not in the match 22. The latter played just five Super Rugby matches upon his return from injury, which has been deemed insufficient preparation for Test rugby by coach Robbie Deans.

Wallabies – 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 13 Rob Horne, 12 Anthony Fainga’a, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Berrick Barnes, 9 Will Genia, 8 Scott Higginbotham, 7 David Pocock (c), 6 Dave Dennis, 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 Sitaleki Timani,  3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Tatafu Polota Nau, 1 Benn Robinson.
Subs: 16 Stephen Moore, 17 James Slipper, 18 Rob Simmons, 19 Radike Samo, 20 Michael Hooper, 21 Nick Phipps, 22 Drew Mitchell.


60 Comments

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  • 51.>^..^< katman: Reply to this comment
    14 Aug 2012, 12:34 pm

    @cane-50: It’s like a 5 000m Olympic podium, with medals for Bahrain, Denmark and England.

  • 52.BrumbiesBoy: Reply to this comment
    14 Aug 2012, 12:50 pm

    @cane-46: It’s almost as bad as trying to find an English-sounding surname in a Bulls match-22…

  • 53.Pencil: Reply to this comment
    14 Aug 2012, 13:06 pm

    Poor Deans. The Aussie’s just don’t have the resources of SA and NZ.

  • 54.Amerifikaner: Reply to this comment
    14 Aug 2012, 14:18 pm

    @Transformation-17: “Such an average looking bunch and still we struggle to beat them!”???? We didn’t struggled to beat them…We lost to them…3 times last year. Pedestrian (according to some) or not, they are still better than the Boks until the Boks win a couple convincingly.

  • 55.Amerifikaner: Reply to this comment
    14 Aug 2012, 14:21 pm

    54. Picked the wrong one to reply to. Should be directed to Slartibartfast not Transformation.

  • 56.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.: Reply to this comment
    14 Aug 2012, 14:28 pm

    @Pencil-53: One would never guess……with their win record
    against the Boks and all.

    The Aussies are always a danger, watered down team or not. What I don’t get, is why
    they don’t get respect from many of us Saffas? They OWN us and until we beat them
    regularly again, and move to No 2 on the rankings, they ARE better than us.

    Every year in arrogance, they are written off. Yet we are the Wooden Spoon champs, not them.

  • 57.BrumbiesBoy: Reply to this comment
    14 Aug 2012, 14:35 pm

    Chuckle, chuckle! I love it!

  • 58.Juggernaught: Reply to this comment
    14 Aug 2012, 15:16 pm

    The modern game needs a fetcher type player, we will always struggle to beat the Wallabies and the Ab’s without a fetcher

    6. Brussouw
    7. Alberts / Kolisi
    8. Vermeulen / Alberts / Kolisi / Kanko / Josh Strauss

  • 59.DAS: Reply to this comment
    14 Aug 2012, 18:05 pm

    Forward pack for the Aussies looking pretty weak. But then again, the ABs demolished the Aussie forward pack at WC when Horwill was fit.

    I expect a 3rd place finish for the Wallabies, and I expect McKenzie to be their coach by next year. Dingo Deans shouldn’t have been reappointed. 60% win percentage after 4 years?

  • 60.Big Hit: Reply to this comment
    14 Aug 2012, 20:39 pm

    @Amerifikaner-54: as far as I know SA’s record against the All Blacks in the past 4 years has been better than their record against the Wallabies – even with a weaker team the wiley Wobs have got the Boks figured out.

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