Deans playing selection cards close to his chest

 

By , 27 Sep 2011 Darren Walton is a Roar Guru

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Robbie Deans was planning emergency talks with his selection panel before revealing who may be ushered into Australia’s injury-ravaged Rugby World Cup squad on Tuesday.

Deans was going to announce potential replacements after centre Rob Horne and back-rower Wycliff Palu consulted specialists in Christchurch on Monday.

But even after scans had determined their fate, Deans decided against publicising his next move until Tuesday.

Horne, who has a fractured cheekbone, was clinging to the hope he wouldn’t require surgery and may be able to make a miracle comeback in the knockout stages of the tournament, while Palu’s hamstring strain was not considered dire and should only sideline the big No.8 for a match or two.

David Pocock on Monday declared himself available for selection for Saturday’s clash with Russia in Nelson, but a host of former Wallabies, including grand slam-winning captain Andrew Slack, have demanded Deans draft in back-up for Australia’s world-class openside flanker.

In a fairytale comeback that would rival 34-year-old Allan Langer’s mercy dash across the world to inspire Queensland’s 2001 State of Origin rugby league series triumph, Slack called for Deans to send an SOS to Japan-based veteran George Smith.

Others are suggesting one-time Wallabies captain Phil Waugh, but Matt Hodgson and Beau Robinson, who both featured in Australia’s 40-man squad for the winter Tests, remain the most viable candidates for a call-up.

Pocock said the hysteria surrounding the non-selection of a reserve No.7 was unnecessary and said it was Deans and assistant coaches Jim Williams and David Nucifora’s business who they picked.

Armchair critics feared the Wallabies’ worst nightmare had been realised when Pocock’s back injury sidelined him from Australia’s 15-6 loss to Ireland, but the man himself said credit instead must go to European player of the year Sean O’Brien.

“There’s been heaps of talk about it. I personally don’t think Ben McCalman was that bad against the Irish,” Pocock said.

“If you look at his stats, he did a heap of work. I thought Sean O’Brien had a great game; that’s maybe why there’s been a lot of talk about it.”

Along with goalkicking winger James O’Connor (hamstring) and flanker Scott Higginbotham (back), Pocock will resume training on Tuesday after also missing last Friday’s win over the USA.

Barring further mishaps, all three will be available for selection this week.

“I’m keen to get out there,” Pocock said.

“It would be great to get some running in the legs and, yeah, I’m just keen to play.

“I’ve got through a fair bit of work the past couple of weeks just trying to settle it all down and do all the right things and then ran really well yesterday morning, so it should be full training this week.

“It all depends on Robbie (Deans) and what the coaches are looking at for the Russians.”

Pocock said the Wallabies were feeling revitalised after enjoying the delights of peaceful Hanmer Springs with their WAGS, but will need to refocus quickly following two days’ break from training.

“If we beat Russia, it’s going to be a massive step up in intensity (most likely) playing the South Africans in the quarters,” he said.

“They know how to play World Cup rugby and they’ve done well in the past and most of their squad was at the last World Cup.

“So that goes a long way to helping them in the playoffs.”

© AAP 2012
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