Deans hails Sharpe and Wallabies back-row
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Robbie Deans says his squad for the inaugural Rugby Championship includes an injection of players in positions in which Australia has historically lacked depth and has hailed the form of veteran lock Nathan Sharpe.
The 30-man squad for the four-nation championship starting later this month included uncapped back-rowers Liam Gill and Jake Schatz of Queensland and Waratahs lock Kane Douglas.
Wallabies coach Robbie Deans said a lot of the squad resolved itself due to injuries.
Australian under-20 captain Gill and fellow openside flanker Michael Hooper, who earned three caps in the June Tests, will give Deans the luxury of providing quality backup to Wallabies captain and starting No.7 David Pocock.
“There’s an injection of players in areas where we historically haven’t had a lot of depth, openside being an obvious one which is great for those two blokes (Gill and Hooper),” Deans said on Tuesday.
“Michael Hooper has had a taste and introduction and Liam fulfilled his obligations to the (Australian) under-20s before we involved him in this instance.
“It’s good to have those two points of enthusiasm added to the group.
“Schatzy obviously gets rewarded for his efforts through Super Rugby, where he’s been very consistent and he’s grown rapidly.”
Deans said Douglas earned a spot ahead of Rebels rookie and former rower Cadeyrn Neville on the basis of his greater set-piece experience.
Douglas joins a second-row contingent including 105-Test veteran Sharpe, who postponed his retirement to help the Wallabies, following the long-term injury to fellow lock and first-choice captain James Horwill.
“Sharpey is probably playing the best rugby of his career, to be honest,” Deans said.
“It becomes very clear when the end looms and he’s enjoying his rugby.”
Deans said Sharpe might even want to revisit his decision to retire, though the 34-year-old second-rower last week stressed he had no intention of playing on next year.
The coach said injured backs James O’Connor and Pat McCabe would not be considered before Australia’s third Rugby Championship game against South Africa in Perth on September 8.
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
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The Crowd Says (7) | Page 1 of Comments
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August 7th 2012 @ 3:26pm
formeropenside said | August 7th 2012 @ 3:26pm | Report comment
Historically, the one area Australia has had depth is at 7 – Smith, Waugh and Croft, then Pocock, with Beau Robbo looking promising in 2011 and Hodgson also looking like a good 7 over the years.
Unless Deans means “depth when I did not choose a backup 7 in a RWC squad”.
August 7th 2012 @ 3:31pm
Go_the_Wannabe's said | August 7th 2012 @ 3:31pm | Report comment
and I forgot to use the bench…
August 7th 2012 @ 4:58pm
Wilson said | August 7th 2012 @ 4:58pm | Report comment
Hear, hear. Deans is a goose who is only now realising that Pocock is only one man who often gets injured becuase of his work load. Hodgson should have 30 caps by now based on his super form the last 4 years. Disappointing waste of talent and I’m sure there are many more cases just like his. Lucky that he has been loyal to Australian Rugby and not chased the money OS. The Wallabies loss has been the Force gain.
August 7th 2012 @ 5:14pm
DRL said | August 7th 2012 @ 5:14pm | Report comment
Unless Deans means “depth when I did not choose a backup 7 in a RWC squad”.
August 7th 2012 @ 10:36pm
colvin said | August 7th 2012 @ 10:36pm | Report comment
I’ve never heard of the expression “two points of enthusiasm ” before. Of course, us Kiwis are somewhat expressive when we talk rugby but Robbie really sets the standard for us all.
Robbie is right about Sharpie though. It would be a pity if he can’t be convinced to give it one more year. I suspect Sharpie is still miffed about having his earnings reduced last year, so it’s up to JON to do something about it. Brad Thorn is a lot older than Sharpie and he’s still delivering.
August 8th 2012 @ 3:26pm
Fatty said | August 8th 2012 @ 3:26pm | Report comment
How does Timani get in that squad ahead of Pyle, Neville, Carter, Fardy all of whom outplayed him in S15 season? Sure he’s a big lad but still not sure his size is overly beneficial without some of the skills the other guys have…
August 8th 2012 @ 4:44pm
sixo_clock said | August 8th 2012 @ 4:44pm | Report comment
Come back to stay Nathan. Yeah we know it can be a grind, we all had to face retirement, the loss of weekly contact with team-mates, but not the training and those week-plus-long bruises and the hollow gut feeling when dropped to the seconds. But that’s not your lot mate, you have that eternal gene that would have you at forty still pushing your weight around. You’re smart, got leadership by the bucketload and we will be diminished without that blue cap which never fits quite right bobbing around the paddock. When you have annointed a successor we can renegotiate.
Hope he gets this message from a lot of people.