Wallabies Spring Tour 2011 squad named

6th November, 2011

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Wallabies Spring Tour squad 2011(AAP Image/Patrick Hamilton)

The Roar

6th November, 2011

3167 Reads

The Wallabies Spring Tour squad of 26 has been announced today, with the team including the majority of the Rugby World Cup squad, with Kurtley Beale and Quade Cooper the key missing players through injury.

Pekahou Cowan returns to the squad, taking the place of Sekope Kefu, who continues to recover from an accidental poke in the eye during a World Cup training session.

The squad includes three new faces, dubbed the ‘next generation’ of internationals: Queensland Reds pair Ben Tapuai and Ben Lucas, and loose forward for the the NSW Waratahs, Dave Dennis.

The World Cup squad members not able to be considered for the tour were fullback Kurtley Beale (hamstring), winger Drew Mitchell (hamstring), inside centre Pat McCabe (shoulder), flyhalf Quade Cooper (knee), No 8 Wycliff Palu (hamstring), flanker Rocky Elsom (hamstring), lock Dan Vickerman (shoulder), Kepu (eye) and halfback Luke Burgess who has left Australia to continue his career with leading French club Toulouse.

Winger Lachie Turner and flanker Matt Hodgson, who both joined the Wallabies in New Zealand as the replacements for Mitchell and Palu respectively, have been retained in the touring group.

Saia Fainga’a has missed the touring squad.

The two-games, to be played against the Barbarians and Wales respectively, makes for a short three-week tour for the Australians.

However, with the Barbarians to be coached by Rugby World Cup winning Graham Henry at Twickenham, and the Welsh to be taken on at Millenium Stadium in Cardiff, coach Robbie Deans pointed at the tough schedule his team faces.

“While this is a relatively brief visit by current standards, both fixtures promise to be exceedingly demanding,” Deans says.

“We’ve just seen at the Rugby World Cup how much and how quickly playing resources can be taxed.”

“Wales were arguably the most improved side at the Rugby World Cup, and their expectations will have risen on the back of that performance,” Deans says.

“Warren [Gatland] has publicly stated their ambition to sit alongside the top ranked nations by beating them on a regular basis, and they will see this Test as an excellent opportunity to start that process, building on what they achieved in New Zealand.”

Player	Position	Club	Age	Appearance
Ben Alexander	Prop	Brumbies	26	35
Adam Ashley-Cooper	Fullback-Wing-Outside Centre	NSW Waratahs	27	63
Berrick Barnes	Flyhalf/Inside Centre	NSW Waratahs	25	36
Pekahou Cowan	Prop	Western Force	25	4
Dave Dennis	Loose Forward	NSW Waratahs	25	Uncapped
Anthony Faingaa	Inside Centre	Queensland Reds	24	12
Will Genia	Halfback	Queensland Reds	23	33
Scott Higginbotham	Loose forward	Queensland Reds	25	10
Matt Hodgson	Loose forward	Western Force	30	6
Rob Horne	Centre	NSW Waratahs	23	9
James Horwill (c)	Lock	Queensland Reds	26	34
Digby Ioane	Wing	Queensland Reds	26	20
Ben Lucas	Fullback/Halfback	Queensland Reds	23	Uncapped
Salesi Ma’afu	Prop	Western Force	28	13
Ben McCalman	Lock/Loose Forward	Western Force	23	20
Stephen Moore	Hooker	Brumbies	28	65
James O’Connor	Fullback	Melbourne Rebels	21	36
Nick Phipps	Halfback	Melbourne Rebels	22	3
David Pocock	Flanker	Western Force	23	39
Tatafu Polota Nau	Hooker	NSW Waratahs	26	31
Radike Samo	No 8	Queensland Reds	35	15
Nathan Sharpe	Lock	Western Force	33	100
Rob Simmons	Lock	Queensland Reds	22	15
James Slipper	Prop	Queensland Reds	22	21
Ben Tapuai	Centre	Queensland Reds	22	Uncapped
Lachie Turner	Wing/Fullback	NSW Waratahs	24	14

Tour Schedule/Key Dates

Tuesday 15 November: Squad assembles in Sydney

Saturday 19 November: Squad departs for London

Saturday 26 November: Wallabies v Barbarians, Twickenham Stadium, London, 2.35pm.

Saturday 3 December: Wallabies v Wales, James Bevan Trophy, Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, 2.30pm.

Sunday 4 December: Squad returns to Australia (arrives Tuesday 6 December)

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