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