Super trial for national selection
Super trial for national selection
By Mark Ella
April 12, 2008
OVER the years and especially in my day, the local derby between Australia's traditional rugby teams, New South Wales and Queensland, was considered the Australia selection trial. But times have changed.
With the inclusion of the Brumbies to Australian rugby in the mid-90ss the balance of power slowly but surely swung towards Canberra and until recent years the ACT boys have dominated domestic rugby.
Such was the strength of the Brumbies that they also provided two Australia coaches in Rod Macqueen and Eddie Jones, not to mention George Gregan, who went on the captain the Wallabies.
The clash in Perth between our two most successful teams in 2008, the Force and Waratahs, can easily be thought of as another selection trial simply because the Brumbies and Reds have fallen off the pace.
I have no doubt that players from the Force and Waratahs will dominate the Wallabies selections particularly for the early Tests, no matter what happens for the rest of the Super 14 season.
This will mark a significant shift in Australian rugby. At the World Cup in France the Brumbies (10) had the highest representation followed by the Waratahs (nine), the Reds (seven) and the Force (four) in the original 30-man squad.
The Reds' only hope of immediate representation in the national team will be via a fit Chris Latham, who still is one of the best rugby players in the world. But if he is injured it is hard to find room for any of their other players.
The Brumbies are slightly better placed but will be nowhere near the number they supplied to last year's World Cup squad, especially with the retirement of a number of senior players.
Captain Stirling Mortlock is their only certainty at the moment, although it will take a brave selector to omit flanker George Smith from the team on current form. But the competition on the side of the scrum is fierce.
Players like Mark Gerrard and Adam Ashley-Cooper are genuine contenders for Wallaby positions but have suffered from injury which has opened the door for other candidates.
So, realistically, the bulk of the Wallabies to meet Ireland in Melbourne on June 14 will come from the Force and Waratahs which adds another dimension to what will be an exciting game.
With Latham injured the spotlight will be on Force fullback Cameron Shepherd to take the lead and how he reacts to some solid defence from NSW will influence how far he progresses.
Much of the same can be said of the wing positions and even though Waratahs winger Lote Tuqiri hasn't done much so far this year he will no doubt get the first opportunity because of his potential and reputation.
The game will also be a great opportunity for Ryan Cross to give the selectors something to think about in terms of options and whether they will play Mortlock, at inside or outside centre.
But up against him is another former Australian Schoolboy champion, Rob Horne, who is making his run-on debut for NSW and he definitely looks like an exciting prospect who will test Cross.
The only position which is a little murky is the No12 jersey and much will depend on how incoming coach Robbie Deans wants to play the game because over the years he has often settled on two playmakers in midfield, usually two five-eighths which may open up an opportunity for Barnes.
The half-back position is contentious after Gregan's retirement and early on it looked like the Brumbies' Josh Holmes was being groomed as our next Wallaby No9. But the Waratahs' Luke Burgess has come from nowhere to throw down the gauntlet.
I don't have much space to go into great detail about the Wallabies' forwards other than to say that the locks will certainly be Nathan Sharpe and Dan Vickerman. How they perform this weekend will have a huge impact on the result.
The Waratahs have the capacity to shut teams out of games and they will attempt to smother the Force.
There is much at stake for the two Australian sides but it will be a great opportunity for their players to prove to Deans they deserve to be selected for the Wallabies first Test against Ireland
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...-23217,00.html
