Wallabies 2011 RWC Squad - Announced

First topic message reminder :

Matt Giteau has been left out (according to his latest twitter message). Pretty big news. Played more than 90 tests. End of an era.

Wallabies squad:

Ben Alexander (Brumbies), Adam Ashley-Cooper (Brumbies), Berrick Barnes (Waratahs), Kurtley Beale (Waratahs), Luke Burgess (Waratahs), Quade Cooper (Reds), Rocky Elsom (Brumbies), Anthony Fainga'a (Reds), Saia Fainga'a (Reds), Will Genia (Reds), Scott Higginbotham (Reds), Rob Horne (Waratahs), James Horwill (Reds, capt), Digby Ioane (Reds), Sekope Kepu (Waratahs), Salesi Ma'afu (Brumbies), Pat McCabe (Brumbies), Ben McCalman (Western Force), Drew Mitchell (Waratahs), Stephen Moore (Brumbies), James O'Connor (Western Force), Wycliff Palu (Waratahs), Nick Phipps (Melbourne Rebels), David Pocock (Western Force), Tatafu Polota-Nau (Waratahs), Radike Samo (Reds), Nathan Sharpe (Western Force), Rob Simmons (Reds), James Slipper (Reds), Dan Vickerman (Waratahs).


MBT

I think Deans knows in his own mind what he thinks is best in the backs biltong, I'm just not totally convinced he has got it right.

If Barnes comes through ok, then it will help, as having him at 12 will give them more control and help take some of the pressure for decision making off of Cooper.

If you look at their wings, the only serious options I would think to be used by Deans is Mitchell, O'Connor and Ioane.

AAC and McCabe I can't really see being used there unless injuries play a role.

In the midfield, who will be their strike runner, to me it seems they only have AAC.

If Barnes is fit and firing and playing at 12, then you could have any one of Horne, McCabe or AAC at 13.

Good decision - he is not a nailed on starter, especially with the way Higginbottom is playing

I think that relieving Elsom of the captaincy will do wonders for his form. Pressure's off now

I think that relieving Elsom of the captaincy will do wonders for his form. Pressure's off now .

I think the pressure is on actually. Not captain, no longer guarenteed a starting berth. Could well be the shot in the arm he needs to really fire him up and get him more involved in the games.

formerly known as Sam wrote:

I think that relieving Elsom of the captaincy will do wonders for his form. Pressure's off now .

I think the pressure is on actually. Not captain, no longer guarenteed a starting berth. Could well be the shot in the arm he needs to really fire him up and get him more involved in the games.

To do that though he needs a good 8 to do the hard yards and grunt work for him so he can run with the ball. At the moment the Wallabies 8's look pretty average or inexperienced (Hodgson and Hogginbotham respectively).

To be honest i'd like to see Higgenbotham get a game at 6 and Rocky come off the bench.

nganboy wrote:

Gunner wrote:Big call to change horses at this stage of the race.
If things turn sour for Wallabies will there be divisions in the squad?
Big big call from RD.
You do have to wonder why this wasnt done at the start of the season.
You cant imagine its a spur of the moment decision.
Anything to do with RD re-signing with ARU a few days ago?

Probably fair enough to not do it at the start of the season / end of last season considering they had some successes mixed in with their failures. Also Horwill wasn't a standout at the end of last year. Personally i though Sharp would get it.

Horwill didn't play year. He is the outstanding forward this year. Sharpe couldn't get it becasue his position in the side is not assured week on week.

Gunner wrote:Big call to change horses at this stage of the race.
If things turn sour for Wallabies will there be divisions in the squad?
Big big call from RD.
You do have to wonder why this wasnt done at the start of the season.
You cant imagine its a spur of the moment decision.
Anything to do with RD re-signing with ARU a few days ago?

Word is they made the decision to replace Rocky as Captain after the AB game and before the SA game. Told him after the SA game I guess so as not to disrupt the tour.

No Giteau and Rocky dropped as captain for Horwell I hate it when the Aussies make good decisions. Damn that Dingo Deans.

He must really want to coach the ABs after 2013, GG.

TheGreyGhost wrote:No Giteau and Rocky dropped as captain for Horwell I hate it when the Aussies make good decisions. Damn that Dingo Deans.

I didn't think Dingo had it in him. Watching Giteau miss easy penalties V Samoa I thought I was stuck in some kind of horrible recurring nightmare. However I'm left scratching my head as to why McCalman & Phipps are in there. I have a mental image of a monkey throwing darts.

I didn't think Dingo had it in him. Watching Giteau miss easy penalties V Samoa I thought I was stuck in some kind of horrible recurring nightmare. However I'm left scratching my head as to why McCalman & Phipps are in there. I have a mental image of a monkey throwing darts

Still a very good squad. A coach who makes some ballsy calls.

Albeit late ballsy calls.gitau and elsom have been on tbe cutting boards for months on these boards. Doesnt say a lot when you have to change captains less than 30 days prior to the wcup but as rob says. Better late than never. For me its his play as well as his captaincy that was lacking. Perhaps this is the first step.
Mind you pdv takes years to cut and still doesnt.
I do like horwell though. Just a big ask at this ipoint in time. Hope his game doesnt go south with the pressure of being responsible for 15 instead of one.

Interesting story here, James O'Connor didn't turn up to the RWC squad unveiling so may be suspended for the final 3N test.

You cruel baastard kiwi...

He's such a goody-two-shoes our Beiberesque Jamie... no way he'd miss the unveiling of the new rock wallaby logo

New Wallaby Logo

Kiwireddevil wrote:Interesting story here, James O'Connor didn't turn up to the RWC squad unveiling so may be suspended for the final 3N test.

Pete, that's good, v good!

Try this one http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10746275

Posting on 4 hours sleep is a bad idea.
Posting on 4 hours sleep is a bad idea.
Posting on 4 hours sleep is a bad idea.
Posting on 4 hours sleep is a bad idea.
Posting on 4 hours sleep is a bad idea.
Posting on 4 hours sleep is a bad idea.
Posting on 4 hours sleep ...

I thought the Fijian story was better...

I forgot about the food fight in Canberra...

I bet he has a plausible explanation such as "I was polishing Rocky's boots when all of a sudden the door slammed shut and I got locked in his room..."