Reece Hodge is the star name picked for the Australia A team to take part in next month’s Pacific Nations Cup in Fiji.
The squad is combined of eight capped Wallabies as well as in-form players from Super Rugby Pacific in 2022.
Hodge is joined by Feleti Kaitu’u, Tom Robertson, Fraser McReight, Lalakai Foketi and Filipo Daugunu all were a part of the Wallabies outfit in 2022 earning test caps during The Rugby Championship and Spring Tour respectively.
Backrower Ned Hanigan has also been named in the squad after making his return Super Rugby Pacific for the NSW Waratahs following a stint in Japan with the Kurita Water Gush.
As was mentioned on The Roar yesterday the Australia A team means that players who missed out on Wallaby selection get valuable international experience instead of going back to club land.
Ben Donaldson, Will Harris, Mark Nawaqanitawase and McReight will reunite with their former Junior Wallabies Coach from the 2019 U20s Championship where Australia fell just short against France in the decider.
The team is comprised of nine players each from the Waratahs and Reds, six from the Western Force, three Brumbies and two Rebels.
The group will assemble on Sunday 26 June in Sydney before travelling to Fiji for their first game on Saturday 2 July against Samoa in Suva.
“The team has a good combination of experienced and young players and I think the team will get a lot out of the upcoming tournament in Fiji,” Australia A Head Coach Jason Gilmore said.
“Looking at some of the names included in the squad it is apparent that the depth within Australian Rugby continues to grow and I think our inclusion in the Pacific Nations Cup will be beneficial.”
Australia A Pacific Nations Cup Squad
Tim Anstee (Western Force)
Jock Campbell (Queensland Reds)
Filipo Daugunu (Queensland Reds)
Ben Donaldson (NSW Waratahs)
Tane Edmed (NSW Waratahs)
Matt Faessler (Queensland Reds)
Lalakai Foketi (NSW Waratahs)
Feao Fotuaika (Queensland Reds)
Matt Gibbon (Melbourne Rebels)
Langi Gleeson (NSW Waratahs)
Ned Hanigan (NSW Waratahs)
Will Harris (NSW Waratahs)
Reece Hodge (Melbourne Rebels)
Harry Hoopert (Queensland Reds)
Harry Johnson-Holmes (NSW Waratahs)
Feleti Kaitu’u (Western Force)
Ryan Lonergan (Brumbies)
Ryan McCauley (Western Force)
Fraser McReight (Queensland Reds)
Andy Muirhead (Brumbies)
Mark Nawaqanitawase (NSW Waratahs)
Dylan Pietsch (NSW Waratahs)
Billy Pollard (Brumbies)
Jackson Pugh (Western Force)
Tom Robertson (Western Force)
Ryan Smith (Queensland Reds)
Hamish Stewart (Queensland Reds)
Jake Strachan (Western Force)
Seru Uru (Queensland Reds)
Double Agent
Guest
What's wrong with some people? :shocked:
Chufortah
Guest
Have you ever played rugby?
Khun Phil
Roar Rookie
Where did those 6 players in your last paragraph play,Geoff?Oh,that's right - The Tahs.Give it up,mate,or just let Chris comment.
Busted Fullback
Roar Rookie
No backup half? Muirhead?
Derek Murray
Roar Rookie
Can he add that bulk?
Chris
Guest
Yeah man, look what happened to them, 2 sacked in disgrace after horrible results with Hooper in the team, one knifed in the back by Hooper and his mates and one who is having a terrible start to his test career with Hooper as his number 7 and captain. Not very convincing mate. His Motor ? Now that is hilarious, a Motor is only as good as the driver and Hooper is still on his L plates.
The Ferret
Roar Rookie
I guess me and 4 wallabies coaches, the people who choose candidates for world Player of the year just don’t know a good player when they see one. But I will say this about him. He has more motor in him than any other player in world rugby.
Chris
Guest
What has Hooper ever offered in the lineout for the Wallabies ?
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
I’d say probably the players who were subpar against their opposite numbers in that time for a start. Who were our options at 8? Guys like Timani and others struggled. Hence why Pocock was used there. Bernard Foley was poor at times. Nick Phipps was too. Have struggled for a 13 since Kuridrani started to trail away from 16/17. Folau was elite in the air and on attack but left us vulnerable due to lack of kicking game and defensive positioning. Him failing to pass to an open man outside him cost us a loss vs Argentina on the GC. And of course the fact is that part of that rotation of 100+ players is because many failed to show they were up to it when selected. Then of course there’s Cheika’s woeful tactics at times.
Chris
Guest
Ferrett can you honestly tell me what Hooper does to make the team better ? And what is his particular set of skills that you rate him alongside the Great George Smith. It certainly is not his ground game as he is blown out most times nor is it his non lineout ability. Is it because he takes the kick off and runs it back or is it him doing the meerkat at scrum-time or is it him running wide in the centre channel or is it him tackling outside backs.? Thanks mate
Chris
Guest
Well go on TWAS, name all these players who contributed to the last 9 years of poor performance. You can rule out Hooper as you shifted blame onto the others with your comment. Who are all these other players who contributed to the plummeting down the world rankings and getting beaten by Argentina and with lower ranked teams Scotland Wales beating the Wallabies on regular basis. You wont name those other 100+ players who have been rotated through the Wallabies whilst Hooper has remained untouched as you will lose even more credibility.
Brian Westlake
Roar Rookie
aaaahhhh you miss the old days of a toby jug prop like John O'Shea that waddled from scrum to scrum? Time has left you behind guest
The Ferret
Roar Rookie
Yep… I’d shift Uru to 8.
Brian Westlake
Roar Rookie
Kinda like queenslands incumbent. Thank your chosen deity for Kalani
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
You’d pick him at 8 over Harris?
The Ferret
Roar Rookie
Hooper and Wright play different games but that does not make one worse than the other in what they offer a team. I would not pick Wright over Hooper or McRight at 7. I would pick Wright over any other loose forward picked in Aus A.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
There are 15 players on the field. If you think a decade of performance can be attributed to one of those 15 you’re kidding yourself
The Ferret
Roar Rookie
Or the Coach who picked players who should not have been there.
The Ferret
Roar Rookie
I rate Hooper. I rate McRight. They are in the same mold of George Smith IMO. The issue with Liam Wright is he is playing 6 to McRights 7 at the reds and McRight is a bloody good 7. If Liam Wright was plain 7 for the reds McRight would be playing 7 for another Aussie super side and we would be having the same conversation about one of the two be left out. I have a problem with what I see as players getting a wallabies cap only because of size and not skill Or rugby smarts.
Geoff
Guest
What ? Ned Hanigan played 3rd grade Japanese rugby and then he gets into calculations for a Gold jersey ? , no wonder we are the laughing stock of world rugby.