Liam Gill’s commitment to play for Toulon after the Super Rugby tournament has cost him a berth in the 33-man Wallaby squad to meet England in a three-Test series starting in a week.
Wallaby coach Michael Cheika named a 39-man squad on May 26, to be culled to 30.
Obviously Cheika couldn’t leave three more out, so 33 is the final squad.
Joining Gill on the outer are Brumby half Joe Powell, a bolter in the first place, Reds Leroy Houston, and Elo Nabuli, Rebel hooker James Hanson, and Force lock Adam Coleman who stands 204cm, and tips the scales at 122 kgs.
That’s a mighty big unit to cull.
The other interesting selection is 21-year-old Rebel utility back Reece Hodge who has only played nine Super Rugby games.
Hodge was named as a replacement for the injured Rebel Mike Harris who was injured after the 39-man squad was announced.
But Hodge has greatly impressed Cheika at the Wallaby camp to retain his place.
The biggest question is where will Cheika select Israel Folau – in the centres or his customary fullback slot?
Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson has switched Folau to outside centre, where he’s been an instant success.
But with Tevita Kuridrani the incumbent Wallaby outside centre and Kurtley Beale out for the season after knee surgery, Cheika might be tempted to look at Folau as inside centre.
A Folau-Kuridrani Wallaby centre combination is a mouth-watering proposition, and while Cheika is fearless when it comes to selections, he might stick to Folau as fullback with no outstanding alternatives.
So that leaves Rob Horne, Karmichael Hunt, Samu Kerevi, and the bolter Reece Hodge as possible inside centres.
Nick Phipps will be the halfback with Nick Frisby his deputy, Bernard Foley the fly-half, Rob Horne will be one winger if not inside centre, leaving Kerevi, Taqele Naryaravoro, and Luke Morahan to do battle for the other.
In the pack the front row is a given with Scott Sio, skipper Stephen Moore, and Sekope Kepu, so too the backrow with Scott Fardy, Michael Hooper, and David Pocock.
That leaves the locks with Will Skelton, James Horwill, Sam Carter, Dean Mumm, and Rory Arnold in contention making the locks the hardest selection.
The revised 33-man Wallaby squad to meet England:
From the Waratahs – Israel Folau, Bernard Foley, Michael Hooper. Ron Horne, Sekope Kepu, Dean Mumm, Taqele Naiyaravoro, Wycliff Palu, Nick Phipps, Tatafa Polota-Nau, and Will Skelton.
From the Brumbies – Alan Ala’alatoa, Rory Arnold, Sam Carter, Scott Fardy, Tevita Kuridrani, Christian Lealiifano, Stephen Moore, David Pocock, and Scott Sio.
From the Reds – Nick Frisby, Greg Holmes, Karmichael Hunt, Samu Kerevi, Rob Simmons, and James Slipper.
From the Rebels – Reece Hodge, Sean McMahon, and Toby Smith.
From the Force – Dane Haylett-Petty, Ben McCalman, and Luke Morahan,
Plus James Horwill from Harlequins.
Xiedazhou
Guest
More likely Cheika likes to give the impression that he favors competition in his squads and that there is genuine competition for spots in the Australian squad. The reality appears to be something different. - He, like all coaches, has his favourites, and they will get picked regardless of form. Anyone who rates Gill as the fourth best 7 in Australia has not been watching Super rugby, and surely thats a better proving ground than the training paddock. Mumm, Palu, Horn, Skelton.............
ken
Guest
Fair comment .
ken
Guest
Johnny Boy Jnr I couldn`t have said it better myself...
ken
Guest
Agree, Chiecka has lost a lot of fans with his continuance for picking blokes like Mumm Carter Skelton and Palu..
ken
Guest
Hooper still there...OMFG
Bakkies
Guest
nope Olympic qualification tournaments. Rugby is pencilled in for Tokyo so there will be qualifiers.
Bakkies
Guest
More than just towelled up. The ABs nicked at least 6 off the Saffies in the semis so they were happy just to kick the ball out.
Bakkies
Guest
'Good to see you stuck in the late 90s/early 2000s Bakkies. Bit more to training camps these days than tackle bags.' An extended Waratahs training session is still not the same as taking on the English. Palu wouldn't get a game for Bath. Faletau is 10 times the player Palu is and he also isn't made of glass.
Zulu
Roar Rookie
Great comment and agree totally on all points and would throw Nabuli in as well till he learns some form of kicking skills. I don't understand Horne's inclusion as its a wasted spot without Beale there to cover for defensively. Hooper is still the 5th best openside in Oz.
Phantom
Roar Rookie
Personally, I would choose gill over Hooper who IMHO is grossly overrated.
CUW
Guest
me thinks it will be Itoje. he will love to hit him a couple of times and add a couple of lines to the cv .
CUW
Guest
no BATH buy the better players on the planet . the current allblacks are not available :P
Bfc
Guest
Skelton and Palu must have rubbed Buddha's tummy....
CUW
Guest
errr that is THOR !!! :D
CUW
Guest
@ Bakkies : i may be wrong - but i think the 7S qualification route for a 2nd country was only on offer for RIO.
eagleJack
Roar Guru
Yes, because Bath only pick up the best rugby players on the planet.
CUW
Guest
Mcmohan shud have gone to the 7S , given he has good foot speed. doubt he will be on the bench ; a 8 would be the obvious choice given the England 3rd row has size advantage.
CUW
Guest
LOL , if PALU , who plays for 30 minutes is better than Houston , then surely BATH bought the wrong man. What the 33 has shown is Cheika's faith in Waratahs. How many Waratahs have been cut from the original squad of 39? Since Houston has not played for Reeds yet, he shud go back and accept the money in england / France. It may be decisions like this that made players like Gill , Higginbotham , Mowen , Mogg , White , .... go OS rather than wait in auzzy and fight for a test place.
Charlie Turner
Guest
I'm pretty sure the Wallabies were towelled up in the lineout in the RWC final too. Cheika needs to pay it some respect.
eagleJack
Roar Guru
Good to see you stuck in the late 90s/early 2000s Bakkies. Bit more to training camps these days than tackle bags. If I wasn't a good trainer but was up against 38 other blokes for a chance to wear Gold, I'd certainly be ripping in. The opposed sessions especially. You can guarantee George Smith would be if he had flown all that way.