Reds captain and prop James Slipper has been named captain of the Wallabies for their match against the USA in Chicago.
Slipper has played 68 Test matches, and at just 26 years of age captained the Reds this year.
He has been a crucial member of a resurgent Wallabies’ scrum in the four Test matches played so far this year.
Slipper said he was humbled to be named to lead his country.
“I am extremely humbled to be given this opportunity to Captain the team on Saturday night at Soldier Field. There is no greater honour for a player than to lead his country and I am excited to be able to do it with this incredible group of players,” said Slipper.
“Stephen (Moore) has done a fantastic job in bringing this group together, and I will do my best to honour him and my country when we take on the Eagles, who were very impressive against Harlequins over the weekend.
“We’ve always looked at things this season as a collective, with players being able to step up at different stages. That also applies to leadership, and we have a lot of solid leaders in the squad, which is essential in a year like this one.
“This Saturday is a really important match for us as a group, especially with a couple of boys making their debuts. We want to put in a performance that shows how hard we’ve been working over the past few months before we head over to the UK.”
Michael Cheika said Slipper earned the honour.
“James led well at Queensland this season, and is an important leader in our squad. This Test match against the USA will give him the honour of captaining his country and the opportunity to lead from the front.”
“We are working hard to develop our leaders and James along with Matt Giteau and Ben McCalman, who lead by example both on and off the field, will make up a strong leadership team.
Slipper takes over from the rested captain and vice captains Stephen Moore, Michael Hooper and Adam Ashley-Cooper.
Ben McCalman will be vice captain and start at blindside flanker, alongside inside centre Matt Giteau.
It is a largely second string team, with Tatafu Polota-Nau starting in Moore’s place at hooker, Sean McMahon earning is first Test cap of the year at openside flanker, and Wycliff Palu continuing at number 8.
Slipper will partner Greg Holmes in the front row, while Rob Horne, Henry Speight and Joe Tomane all return to the starting lineup.
Interestingly, Taqele Naiyaravoro could make his debut this weekend, which would render him ineligible to represent any other nation. So watch out for that!
Full Wallabies team to play USA
1. James Slipper – C – (67 Tests)
2. Tatafu Polota-Nau (53 Tests)
3. Greg Holmes (17 Tests)
4. Kane Douglas (15 Tests)
5. Rob Simmons (52 Tests)
6. Ben McCalman – VC – (40 Tests)
7. Sean McMahon (3 Tests)
8. Wycliff Palu (55 Tests)
9. Nick Phipps (31 Tests)
10. Bernard Foley (17 Tests)
11. Rob Horne (26 Tests)
12. Matt Giteau – VC – (95 Tests)
13. Henry Speight (3 Tests)
14. Joe Tomane (15 Tests)
15. Kurtley Beale (52 Tests)
16. James Hanson (9 Tests)
17. Scott Sio (9 Tests)
18. Toby Smith (uncapped)
19. Dean Mumm (36 Tests)
20. Sam Carter (11 Tests)
21. Quade Cooper (56 Tests)
22. Will Genia (59 Tests)
23. Taqele Naiyaravoro (Uncapped)
Bakkies
Guest
Well Douglas should be back in Qld playing NRC and preparing for his second dose of MOC ball
Bakkies
Guest
The prize money for winning the RWC isn't great it's more the exposure and marketing opportunities
Vhavnal
Roar Rookie
"Fiji does not even have room for Top 14 top try scorer in its RWC" < who are you talking about? Nalaga or Ratini? .. Nalag'a injury was far worse than expected, he is having knee operations next week and will be out for 6 weeks Ratini on the other hand was DUMPED by his french club because he is a spoiled brat who kept getting in fights with his team mates....
Vhavnal
Roar Rookie
probably why then, speight is a far better defender though he does miss a few tackles now and then , odd ..maybe Chieka is taking USA lightly ..thinking they could thump them like NZ did with their "B" team last year..
Vhavnal
Roar Rookie
value will go up but since he is a capped "Australian", he will be a foreign player in Europe thus unlikely to get a good contract since capped foreigners who are not islanders are not treated as locals there..he won't be as lucky as ONE capped All Black, Scott Hamilton
Vhavnal
Roar Rookie
3 of them have a union background in Waqa (former fijian capped flyhalf), Koroibete (fijian age grade winger) and Radradra (former Fiji 7's rover)
Vhavnal
Roar Rookie
The main question though, Train Without A Station is..will he be needed in 3 years? ..who were the starting wingers 3 years ago for Australia? Digby and JOC, who are now? AAC and well Tomane, Speight/Horne/Mitchell ..in 3 years from now, it may very well be Speight and Tomane with the likes of perhaps kelloway/Naivalu/CFS/JOC/Chris Kuridrani etc playing as well....he would not longer be needed as the need for "big wings" will probably be a thing of the old..
BC
Guest
Hi sheek, what are your thoughts on our locks selected, how do you rate them and who would you prefer?
ken
Guest
Akuila Uate Eto Nabuli Sisa Waqa Semi Radradra Kevin Naiqama Marika Koroibete These 6 Fijians are playing in the NRL this week.. 4 wingers a centre and a fullback..Some power and pace there...
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Or he wants to be a wallaby when he finishes at Glasgow. If he is capped on Sunday he is a wallaby for life. If he is not, he would have to live here for 3 years AGAIN before he qualified, if he left Australia to play.
Daveyboy
Guest
Well said Tahpan - you sound eminently sensible - how refreshing!
Rollaway7
Roar Guru
I use to believe that Cheika is a man with an intelligent plan... I am slowly starting to doubt him. He clearly is not intended to solidify a team before the RWC starts, mark my words, book mark this page. The Wallabies will falter due to lack of combination and too many changes.
Pete
Guest
I completely agree james. Horwill has experience and versatility very much like AWJ for wales. Most reasons for his non selection point to his repeated injuries but even Douglas himself has said he is only 90percent and with no game time or form?? I really liked the pairing of mumm and Horwill they were forming a formidable partnership but need another jumper option in the lineout and higgers or fardy could fill that. Yes five wingers already in the squad and he picks TN. I honestly would have thought that kerevi should be there as reserve for speight. He has great hands and a good fend for a big guy! Little bit of Waratah favouritism creeping in here but on the whole a good squad for this game! Will be very interesting to see how they go. Much like the Socceroos game...
Vhavnal
Roar Rookie
TN is naive, he literally has no idea what he has done, he was asked on facebook, this is his reply "First of all i wanna say THANK YOU FOR THE SUPPORT..READING ALL THESE COMMENTS AND ETC just motivates me more to do my best.. and at the moment to the people that a giving comments and critics about my opinion and choice .i wanna invite you to put on my shoes and boots and walk the yrs that i have been in Australia. That 4 yrs of struggle and working and making sacrifices after you have done that then you can give your opinion about my carrier. So please im not trying to start any fight or nonsense i just wanna make my family and fiji proud. Fiji is always in my heart.. but to be given these opportunity to play for such a prestige rugby nation (Australia ) i wanna represent fiji in these types of team. So please i hope i have made myself clear ..vinaka vakalevu" This man has NO IDEA what he is about to do..he is literally about to end his international career for less than 40 minutes (maybe he may come in the last 10mins) of rugby so yes PeterK, he is definitely Naive ..or stupid....or both....can't say ...I deal with Fijian rugby players all the time, they always have the most greedy agents who give them wrong advice..
Jameswm
Guest
Douglas got picked as the 2nd power lock. Simmons and Mumm as jumpers. I would have thought Horwill could fill both roles which would make him a handy and versatile bench lock. I actually think the oddest selection is no Higginbotham. One of Skelton and Douglas is likely to be on the field at any time, and Fardy is the only recognised jumper in the back row.
sheek
Roar Guru
I don't know about that. Cheika invested a lot of time in getting Douglas into the world cup squad. I don't think he's there to make up the numbers, or sit on the bench. Someone earlier in the thread said that he thinks Simmons & Douglas are Cheika's starting locks, & that wouldn't surprise one bit.
Markus
Guest
Not sure I understand the question. If he is to spend the next three years training, playing and developing his game in Scotland, and without a Test cap would essentially be their project player now as opposed to Australia's, then yes Australia would be doing nothing for him in that time. If you're asking should Australia do nothing, I can't really answer that. But capping a player in the hope that he may return in 3 years time and still be in a position where his form may have Australia interested in him again is cynical, that's hard to argue against.
ken
Guest
From what i`ve seen and heard Simmons and Mumm are in Checks best 23.. It`s between KANE AND WILL for that last spot..That`s why we saw DOUGLAS AND SKELTON come to blows and blood was flowing from both of them last week.... I reckon Checks took them aside individually and informed them Dean and Rob are in his best 23 and they need to prove to him why he should pick them... Before the opposed training drill MC would have said something along these lines.... " See that bloke over there, he reckons you`re a POWDER PUFF " !!
Smiggle Jiggle
Roar Guru
FOXSPORTS, SUNDAY 9.30am EST
Jameswm
Guest
You mean Australia does nothing because he's playing in Scotland?