Wallabies coach Robbie Deans will tell his squad to play for their positions on the grand slam tour when all spots go up for grabs during an internal “trial” on Thursday.
Senior Wallabies have been referring to the final hitout of the camp as an opposed training session, but the intent in the voices of the players trying to break into the national side tells a different story.
With jerseys up for grabs, plenty of passion and fierce contests across the park are expected during the 90-minute contest to be refereed by international officials Stu Dickinson and Steve Walsh at St Ignatius College, Riverview, in Sydney.
Out of favour No.8 Stephen Hoiles, who has been recalled to the squad for the first time in over a year, said he will be wearing his game face and doing everything he can on Thursday to earn a recall.
“You’ve just got to treat it like it’s another game, we’ve been told there will be a referee there and it’s going to be very similar, if not identical to a game,” Hoiles told AAP.
“There’s 43 guys and you’re playing against each other, then 43 will become 35 on Friday, so it’s interesting, it will probably add a little bit of adrenalin.”
It’s a similar story for fellow tour aspirant Rob Horne, who is hoping to be included for the Wallabies’ tour of Japan and Europe.
“This week’s been a massive week physically and, as well, mentally just trying to get up to speed with all the plays,” Horne said.
” … That’s a massive thing for us going into tomorrow with our plays and patterns, so we can put on a good show.”
Wallabies stand-in captain George Smith said the teams will be trialling different combinations under match-like conditions.
He stressed it was important for all of the back-rowers to have versatility and be able to play at either No.6, No.7 or No.8 during the hitout.
“It’s more a training session to make sure the guys know what roles they need to be doing within the set plays,” Smith said.
“It does have merit to it, to make sure that the players know under fatigue and under pressure that they’re able to fulfil their roles within the team.
“It also brings the new players who have tried pretty hard throughout the year in Super 14 and in the club competition to have the taste of camp set-up in the Wallabies and hopefully push themselves to be a bolter within the squad.
“I think Robbie said earlier that you can’t be complacent and all spots are up for grabs and I think that’s the way the players have approached this week’s training sessions, the intensity’s going to be high.”
Likely trial teams
“Probables”: James O’Connor, Digby Ioane, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Berrick Barnes, Richard Kingi, Matt Giteau, Will Genia, Stephen Hoiles, David Pocock, Richard Brown, Mark Chisholm, David Dennis, Ben Alexander, Stephen Moore, Pek Cowan. Res: Al Baxter, Wycliff Palu, Rocky Elsom.“Possibles”: Lachie Turner, Drew Mitchell, Ryan Cross, Kurtley Beale, Rob Horne, Quade Cooper, Luke Burgess, Mitch Chapman, George Smith, Ben McCalman, Nathan Sharpe, Dean Mumm, Salesi Ma’afu, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Matt Dunning. Res: Matt Hodgson, Damien Fitzpatrick, Josh Valentine.
Injured: Stirling Mortlock, Peter Hynes, Phil Waugh, Sekope Kepu, Nick Cummins, James Horwill, Benn Robinson.
Pete
Guest
Although I like the idea that there could be a great deal of aggression and intensity, there has to be a balance. We don't want the blokes injured for the tour. As long as they played the trial as if it meant something then that's the main thing and by all accounts they did. Berrick said afterwards it would be great if it could be held on a Sunday at North Sydney Oval afternoon. That'd be fantastic. I was disappointed I couldn't get down there today because of work, but a crowd of 3,000 is pretty good for a week day. I'd be great if it was an annual event and held on a weekend. North Sydney's capacity is ~ 20,000. If they had 10,000 the atmosphere would be pretty decent. The following year it could be a Ballymore, then somewhere in Victoria and the Country areas should get a guernsey as well. Rather than the ARU making money from it and having the RUPA issues with player payments, perhaps entry is free but you make a donation (similar to today). After the set up costs for the day, Half of what is left goes to charity the other half to grass roots development. It may not be a proper game, but it would be an interesting perspective to see how a top team is coached. It would be even better if the crowd could hear what was being said to the players without the day losing its purpose and becoming a circus. I watched St Kilda's last training day before the Grand Final where several thousand fans turned up just to watch them train. I thought how great that'd be if we could get that sort of passion into Rugby. Perhaps the annual Pre Spring Tour trial match is the answer.
Harry
Guest
Thanks Sam. Let us trust in Aussie Rob ... and the players. Horne has always struck me as test match class, he is still very young though. I would also like to see Beale tour, perhaps as a backup 15 to AAC, allowing O'Conner to play at his preferred position, 12 (an impact player to bring on in the last 20 minutes after Barnes at 10 and Giteau at 12 start).
sam a
Guest
Harry I commented on another thread that the intensity and aggression just wasn't there this morning, or thats how it seemed from the stand. Slightly less than match conditions - restarts/scrums/lineouts were at the whim of the coaches, rather than at errors - but even so the boys seemed to treat it far too much like just another training session, rather than the Probables vs Possibles full on hit-out that we (or at least I) was hoping for. Even so, we got to see some good hits, some beautiful hands, and some good running of the ball. The young blokes played with almost the intensity you'd hope for - trying to dislodge the incumbent is surely harder than holding off a challenger. Horne and Turner (yes i know he's incumbent, but not at 15) were impressive. Beale had some nice touches, but maybe not enough to crack the tour squad. Greg/Jameswm, Kingi warmed up at HB but I didn't see him play there. He has got some toe, and was in good touch on the wing, but I don't think he's big enough to play a test there.
Harry
Guest
Reports from anyone who attended?
Jameswm
Guest
Yes Greg I think it's because Cummins, Hynes and Mortlock were all injured. Maybe they'll swap him with Genia at half time.
Greg Russell
Roar Guru
Richard Kingi on the wing does not sound right - does anyone know if that's correct? Is it because there's no-one else to play wing, with Mortlock, Hynes and Cummins all injured? I would have thought they'd be better off to bring in a winger from outside the squad than to play a HB on the wing. Kingi is a real up-and-comer - it's best for both him and the Wallabies to give him a go at HB rather than as a makeshift winger.