Rogers to back up for Australia A tour finale
Rogers to back up for Australia A tour finale
November 21, 2006 - 10:11am
Story by: ARU
Qantas Wallabies utility Mat Rogers will return to action just 48 hours after Australia's clash with Ireland on Sunday to play in the third and final mid-week match of the Spring Tour in the Scottish Highlands city of Perth.
Rogers was named at flyhalf in John Muggleton's Australia A outfit, which will make it's final appearance of the 2006 Spring Tour against Scotland A at Perth's McDiarmid Park tomorrow night (Wed am Aus time).
The veteran of 44 Wallaby Tests replaced Stephen Larkham 28 minutes into Sunday's defeat to Ireland but is not the only Test player backing up for the Tuesday night match.
Muggleton is still to confirm his final backline reserve, however the six players he has named on the bench each played during Sunday's rain-soaked Test in Dublin.
Waratahs centre Morgan Turinui will skipper the team in his first appointment as captain of a senior Australian representative team.
Turinui will be partnered by Gene Fairbanks in the midfield, while Mitchell Chapman will make his first starting team appearance for Australia A alongside Queensland teammate James Horwill at lock.
Captain Morgan Turinui said that his team was looking to make it a successful finale for their 2006 Spring Tour campaign.
“The boys are very excited about this game and are looking to build on the performance against Ireland A in Limerick last Wednesday,” said Turinui.
“It's a special occasion for me personally having the opportunity to captain the team, but the entire team received a tremendous boost with the win last week and we're looking forward to getting back on the field to add to that effort tomorrow night.” he added.
Turinui, who has played in both mid-week games but no Test matches during the four-week tour, said that the mid-week matches had been very beneficial to the young players on the fringe of the Wallaby team.
“Obviously for the young guys it's been a valuable experience to play in these matches and experience the different conditions and style of footy in the Northern Hemisphere,” said Turinui.
“Some of the experienced Test players have also relished the opportunity to play in these matches and have stood up and shown their class at this level,” he said.
“This will be the final match of the year for most of the players in this team, so (Tuesday night's) match is like a grand final for many of the guys in that respect.
It will be the last opportunity for most of the team to show their ability at this level of the game before a World Cup year.”