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Michael Cheika has named an extended train-on squad for the Wallabies ahead of the start of their Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup campaigns next month.
The squad comprises players from the four Australian Super Rugby franchises that missed out on the finals, although it could be extended to include members of the Brumbies’ squad once the Canberra-based side finishes their season.
In the squad for the first time since the 2015 Rugby World Cup is Kurtley Beale, who is making a comeback to Australian rugby after a stint in England with Wasps. However, there was no room for enigmatic playmaker Quade Cooper, who was not selected by Cheika.
Cheika did name 11 uncapped players in the training squad, including a pair of rugby league converts in Curtis Rona and Marika Koroibete, and a number of players from the Queensland Reds, such as Taneila ‘Tongan Thor’ Tupou, Izaia Perese and Sef Fa’agase.
Barnstorming back-rower Sean McMahon, who has been plagued by injury in recent times, has also been included by Cheika and will no doubt be hoping to add to his 15 Tests next month.
Stephen Moore was named as the squad’s captain and heads the list of experienced Wallabies in the side. Rob Simmons and Kane Dougas are both back after missing Australia’s June Tests, while regulars Israel Folau, Bernard Foley, Michael Hooper, Will Genia and Sekope Kepu have also been included in the squad.
Cheika said he was looking forward to continuing the work started in the June Tests, but admitted the Wallabies still have plenty to do before the first Test against the All Blacks.
“We have a lot of work to get done between now and August 19 when we play New Zealand in Sydney,” Cheika said.
“That work started in June, we tried to maintain some of that throughout the last rounds of Super Rugby and now we start to take it up a level.
“We want all of these guys to be very clear on what the trademarks are of the Wallabies game and then be equipped and ready to deliver it when asked to enter the arena for Australia, whether it’s for five minutes or the whole 80 minutes of every Test this season.
“That is what our objective will be over the next couple of weeks and I can’t wait to get stuck into it.”
The Wallabies’ Bledisloe Cup and Rugby Championship campaigns begin when they take on the All Blacks in Sydney on August 19, before the second Bledisloe Cup match a week later at Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium. The third Bledisloe Test of the year will be played in Brisbane on October 21.
Forwards
Jermaine Ainsley*, Western Force
Adam Coleman, 12 Tests, Western Force
Pek Cowan, 10 Tests, Western Force
Jack Dempsey, 1 Test, NSW Waratahs
Kane Douglas, 31 Tests, Queensland Reds
Sef Fa’agase*, Queensland Reds
Tetera Faulkner, 2 Tests, Western Force
Ned Hanigan, 3 Tests, NSW Waratahs
Richard Hardwick, 2 Tests, Western Force
Michael Hooper, 68 Tests, NSW Waratahs
Sekope Kepu, 80 Tests, NSW Waratahs
Adam Korczyk*, Queensland Reds
Tolu Latu, 4 Tests, NSW Waratahs
Sean McMahon, 15 Tests, Melbourne Rebels
Stephen Moore (c), 120 Tests, Queensland Reds
Tatafu Polota-Nau, 71 Tests, Western Force
Tom Robertson, 9 Tests, NSW Waratahs
Izack Rodda*, Queensland Reds
Rob Simmons, 71 Tests, Queensland Reds
Lopeti Timani, 7 Tests, Melbourne Rebels
Taniela Tupou*, Queensland Reds
Jordan Uelese*, Melbourne Rebels
Backs
Kurtley Beale, 60 Tests, NSW Waratahs
Israel Folau, 55 Tests, NSW Waratahs
Bernard Foley, 45 Tests, NSW Waratahs
Will Genia, 78 Tests
Dane Haylett-Petty, 17 Tests, Western Force
Reece Hodge, 13 Tests, Melbourne Rebels
Karmichael Hunt, 3 Tests, Queensland Reds
Samu Kerevi, 8 Tests, Queensland Reds
Marika Koroibete*, Melbourne Rebels
Campbell Magnay*, Queensland Reds
Billy Meakes*, Western Force
Eto Nabuli, 1 Test, Queensland Reds
Sefa Naivalu, 7 Tests, Melbourne Rebels
Izaia Perese*, Queensland Reds
Nick Phipps, 52 Tests, NSW Waratahs
Curtis Rona*, Western Force
*denotes uncapped player
Players not considered due to injury
Kyle Godwin
Lukhan Tui
James Slipper