The Wallabies have announced the side that will take the field for their final match of the 2014 Spring Tour, to be played against England at Twickenham in London in the early hours on Sunday morning.
It is largely the team people expected to be named, and with Tevita Kuridrani unavailable due to a low-grade ankle injury, Test veteran Adam Ashley-Cooper has been selected at outside centre. Rob Horne earns his first Test starting position on the wing for the tour.
Lock Rob Simmons will play his 50th Test for Australia, the 25-year-old becoming the sixth Australian forward to reach the 50-game milestone in 2014, joining props James Slipper and Sekope Kepu, hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau, lock James Horwill and No. 8 Wycliff Palu.
His selection comes as part of a starting line-up which includes three changes to the team which played Ireland at Aviva Stadium at the weekend.
With Tevita Kuridrani unavailable due to a low-grade ankle injury, Test veteran Adam Ashley-Cooper has been selected at outside centre, which allows Rob Horne to earn a starting position on the wing.
The third change sees young gun Sean McMahon return to the starting XV at blindside flanker.
The starting line-up is otherwise unchanged with McMahon part of a back-row including captain Michael Hooper and Ben McCalman; locks Sam Carter and Rob Simmons; and a front-row of James Slipper, Saia Fainga’a and Sekope Kepu.
In the backs, Nick Phipps and Bernard Foley continue their playmaking partnership; Adam Ashley-Cooper joins Matt Toomua in the centres due to Kuridrani’s unavailability; with a back-three consisting of Israel Folau, Rob Horne and Henry Speight.
The Wallabies bench is yet to be finalised.
The match will be Australia’s final match of their five-game Spring Tour, which has also included games against the Barbarians, Wales, France and Ireland.
The Wallabies side to play England:
1. James Slipper
2. Saia Fainga’a
3. Sekope Kepu
4. Sam Carter
5. Rob Simmons
6. Sean McMahon
7. Michael Hooper
8. Ben McCalman
9. Nick Phipps
10. Bernard Foley
11. Rob Horne
12. Matt Toomua
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper
14. Henry Speight
15. Israel Folau
BrumbyJack
Guest
JimmyB apologies if they are not average, the Poms are well below average. As Hika rightly points out, compared to the 2003 vintage of Vickery, Hill, Johnson, Dallaglio and Back that I am comparing to they do not even rate a mention. It is like us Aussies comparing Hooper and these other back row pretenders to Finegan, Kefu and George Smith...
cs
Guest
No it doesn't, although 'cheika supporter' would probably be fair enough. While we're here, what's 'handles' shortened from? '-himself'?
handles
Guest
cs stands for "cheika's subordinate".
grapeseed
Guest
Well if you're going to select 2010 Beale at fullback, you may as well also select 2011 Genia at scrum half.
soapit
Guest
ah. ok.
Zero Gain
Guest
OK, good?
cs
Guest
Irritating to impatient types like yourself Woodsman, perhaps, but it isn't a bad media strategy, as augmented by naming nine on the bench with one to be dropped. This approach ensures that the changes to the run-on team, the highest honour, get full media consideration without benchside distractions, and the subsequent announcements effectively create three stories out of what has traditionally been one. Feeding the chooks in this piecemeal fashion also keeps them from filling their daily quota of rugby column inches with other rubbish. Smart allround, I'd say, which seems just like Cheika.
Woodsman
Guest
Not naming the bench is an extremely irritating habit. If you're sure enough of your selections to pick a starting team you can bloody well pick the reserves too.
Jeff
Guest
Love it.
Hoy
Roar Guru
With a good point about Horne dropping or losing ball at inopptune times...
Hoy
Roar Guru
Everyone in rugby in Aus knows what the Irish did to us in the World Cup. To go in high and weak beggars belief I think. I can't understand watching every one of our players getting held up in midfield by Irish... not one of them thrashes and throws their arms around fighting for freedom. It is almost a passive reluctance to be held, which amounts to nothing...
El Capitan
Guest
Notice how when selection questions are asked, that Tahs fans come out all huffy and puffy? The original post as I stated before is why not give others a chance to shine. Playing the last 2 tests to date, has provided nothing. Don't they say the def of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expect to get a different result?
Hello
Roar Rookie
When are we likely to find out about the bench.
Markus
Guest
Moore, Polota-Nau, Faingaa, Charles, Hanson, Latu, Sexton and Siliva may have all been ahead of Mann-Rea if not injured, plus Leafa if eligible (qualifies next year). It was really a coin toss between Mann-Rea and Heath Tessman for this tour. For Godwin and English it was their first tour, and there was not the same problem with injuries among the backs as there has been for the forwards, so there was no need to throw them in. They will still be better for the experience.
runamuk
Guest
Jeff, there are Gurus and then there are "gurus". Simon believes that its the non tahs players holding the wallabies back and if they just picked the tahs side we would win all the time. The tahs won the super title making them the best team in the world. Its fools logic, dogs have four legs, cats have four legs therefore dogs are cats. The reds won in '11, the wallabies were the 2/3rd best side. The tahs won in '14, the wallabies are the 4/5th best side. There is very little connection between super rugby and test rugby.
formeropenside
Guest
he was in shape for in about 2009 - or maybe 2011, I cant recall
formeropenside
Guest
and a whole bunch of Tahs were selected also - and in 2012, something like 8 of the starting 15 v Wales were Tahs. Also, to Andre below - I'm not sure you cant point to any benefit from Australian rugby from the Tahs winning SR. 2014 has been a pretty poor season on and off the field from an Australian (vs Tah) perspective.
William Tell
Guest
"For any team, especially an Aussie team to defeat a Crusaders team, in a a Super Rugby grand final has to be on top of its game." Guess the Reds were just lucky then, against the Crusaders. Again - what was the winning margin for the Tahs this year? Just give it to us in tries.
Markus
Guest
Kuridrani has emerged as Australia's top 13, but AAC is still the next best available by a long way. I think I agree about his selection on the wing though, especially now with Speight available. There is now enough depth among specialist wingers that AAC's place is either starting at outside centre or covering most of the backline from the bench.
JimmyB
Guest
Touché