How the Wallabies' World Cup squad is shaping
JETLAG couldn't have come at a better time for Robbie Deans. After crossing half the globe from New Zealand to South Africa this week, the Wallabies coach has been waking up at 3am and churning through DVDs of Sydney and Brisbane club rugby.
He's had a phone in his hand as well, checking in with medical staff, injured players and the strength and conditioning coaches back in Australia trying to get key players back on the field.
Somehow, amid all that, Deans has to prepare the Wallabies squad to meet the Springboks on Sunday morning (AEST) in Durban.
In fact, scratch the jetlag. That would require sleep.
Forget the countdown to the World Cup kickoff, the faster-approaching deadline to finalise the Wallabies' 30-man squad is behind Deans' "sleepless nights".
Due to IRB regulations, all competing nations have to provide a squad by August 18. It can then only be altered by a serious, tournament-ending injury. That's next Thursday, six days and counting.
Many of Deans' spots are filled, but many are not.
The pressing concern for him is decisions he must make on injured stars who would normally be automatic choices but will only make their returns after the squad is announced.Winger Drew Mitchell (ankle), No.8 Wycliff Palu (shoulder), prop James Slipper (ankle) and Tatafu Polota-Nau (hooker) are all on track to be fit when the tournament kicks off. But they are not slated to play a game until the Australian Barbarians meet Canada on August 26.
Leaps of faith have happened before - Stephen Larkham carried a broken thumb into 1999 - but the trust has never had to stretch so far.
Given they are potential starters, it is expected all will be picked based on reputation and the advice of medical staff.
Deans and staff have been tracking the players' fitness programs via GPS monitoring.
Though Mitchell won't play until Saturday week at the earliest, he will be the last piece in the puzzle after a tailormade rehab process on his broken ankle.
"I have been getting through a Test-intensity week of training this week," Mitchell said yesterday.
"I've got one more day to go. Getting up off the ground, the sprints, shuttles, that sort of thing. Just putting volume in the leg and pushing through the fatigue.
"It'd obviously be good to have played a game but it is just a matter of doing what we've been asked."
The injured troops are not the only ones keeping fingers crossed. With few spots left, several Wallabies not on tour in South Africa are hoping their club form can impress. Matt Giteau and Berrick Barnes remain right in the hunt, as do centre Rob Horne and halfback Nick Phipps.
The hopes of others in the 40-man squad are fading.
Here is how the squad is shaping up.
Fullback
ONE spot, and only one man possible. There's plenty of back-up in the wing stocks.
In: Beale
Gone: Gerrard
Wingers
BARRING hiccups, Mitchell will return. Turner's hopes may rest on whether Deans takes three or four wingers.
In: O'Connor, Ioane
Probable: Mitchell
Possible: Turner
Gone: Davies, Morahan
Centres
THE Test pairing are secure but the two back-up spots are hotly fought. Anthony Faingaa is battling late charges from Rob Horne and Berrick Barnes, and Matt Giteau is included here as well. Deans likes Horne but Barnes and Giteau provide playmaker cover.
In: Ashley-Cooper, McCabe
Possibles: Faingaa, Barnes, Horne, Giteau
Five-eighths
COOPER is a certainty but the big question is whether Deans takes Giteau as cover or relies on Beale and O'Connor.
In: Cooper
Possible: Giteau
Halfbacks
DEANS is weighing up whether to take two or three halfbacks, and Nick Phipps is the man who'll win or lose.
In: Genia, Burgess
Possible: Phipps
Back-row
HOW many are taken depends on whether Deans takes a 17-13 split.
David Pocock, Rocky Elsom and Scott Higginbotham are certainties. Wycliff Palu is another who'll go if fit, leaving Ben McCalman and Matt Hodgson to fight over a spot. The latter may win the fight due to his No.7 experience.
In: Pocock, Elsom, Higginbotham.
Probable: Palu
Possibles: McCalman, Hodgson
Gone: Beau Robinson, Dennis
Locks
HORWILL and Simmons are safe. Nathan Sharpe and Dan Vickerman's experience counts, but will Deans risk the rawness of Sitaleki Timani for his power? Will Radike Samo sweep in as back-row/lock cover? Dean Mumm's rib injury has likely cost him.
In: Horwill, Simmons
Probables: Sharpe, Vickerman
Possibles: Timani, Samo.
Gone: Mumm
Front-row
LOCK in Stephen Moore, Tatafu Polota-Nau and Saia Faingaa as hookers. Ben Alexander, Sekope Kepu, James Slipper are likely, with Salesi Ma'afu in the mix and Ben Daley still hopeful. Benn Robinson's hopes are fading.
In: Moore, Polota-Nau, Faingaa, Alexander, Kepu
Probable: Slipper, Ma'afu
Possible: Daley, Robinson, Cowan
Gone: Baxter, Hanson
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