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Emirates Western Force backrowers Matt Hodgson and Richard Brown have been included in the run-on side for the Wallabies midweek tour match against the Leicester Tigers at Welford Road.
Brown was a reserve in Australia’s win against Wales while Hodgson has been working hard to press his claim for a test recall after re-joining the Wallabies squad for the Spring Tour following a groin strain that kept him out during the South African leg of the Tri-Nations.
The five Emirates Western Force players involved in the 25-16 win in Cardiff on Saturday night will be rested. Waratahs flyhalf Berrick Barnes will captain the Wallabies and is one of nine players selected who were involved the victory against the Dragons at Millennium Stadium.
Hooker Saia Faingaa has been included in the side despite exiting Saturday night’s match prematurely with a corked thigh while fellow rake, Tatafu Polota-Nau, will join the side today from Australia to provide coverage in the front row after Stephen Moore was unable to take his place in Saturday’s run-on side to due to back complaint. Both Faingaa and Moore will remain with the squad.
The midweek fixture will provide six members of the touring party with their first match in Australian colours, although it is not recognised as an official capped game. Winger Rod Davies, flanker Scott Higginbotham, 34-year-old lock Van Humphries and outside centre Pat McCabe have all been selected in the run-on side, while back-rower Pat McCutcheon and scrumhalf Nick Phipps, the lone representative from the Melbourne Rebels, have been named on the bench.
Brumbies prop Salesi Ma’afu, who played 10 Tests for Australia this year, will return to Leicester, after taking up a short-term contract with the club during the 2007/08 season.
The squad to play Leicester includes six players who contested midweek matches against Gloucester and Cardiff during last year’s Northern Hemisphere tour, while the likes of Kurtley Beale and Quade Cooper – who were also involved in the aforementioned matches – have since graduated to starting members of the Wallabies’ Test side.
The Wallabies won both tour matches in 2009, defeating Gloucester 36-5 at Kingsholm before accounting for the Cardiff Blues, 31-3, at Cardiff City Stadium.
Head coach Robbie Deans says the midweek tour matches are an integral tool in preparing young players for Test football.
“If you look at last year, a number of players emerged out of the midweek fixtures,” he said.
“Kurtley Beale played his first game at fullback and Quade Cooper played flyhalf and have both since established themselves in the Test side. Salesi Ma’afu had his first outing for the Wallabies and went on to make his Test debut.
“These matches are a critical, to be honest. It provides rugby for the whole group which is invaluable and keeps the entire squad connected. What it offers us is access for everyone. Without it we go from Test to Test which doesn’t permit us to provide an opportunity for the next tier of player.
“In terms of the aspirational pathway, it’s an essential element. Sometimes until you provide an opportunity, you don’t know how players will respond and over the past two years we’ve seen significant response from the players who’ve had that opportunity.”
The announcement of today’s line-up means that all 36 players in the Qantas Wallabies touring party will have received match involvement at the conclusion of the first three matches of the seven-match Spring tour.
Deans says his side his side is champing at the bit ahead of Tuesday’s match.
“They can’t wait,” he said. “It keeps them connected in terms of their preparation which has been good for all parties, whether they be Test players or part of the midweek squad.”
Leicester currently sits fifth in the 12-team English Premiership, with three wins and four losses from their seven matches, including their most recent 19-12 loss to third-placed Gloucester at Kingsholm last weekend.
The Tigers have an impressive recent record against international sides after defeating the Springboks, 22-17, at Welford Road in November, 2009.
The Midlands club is coached by former English hooker Richard Cockerill, and former Australian Test representative and ex-Brumbies assistant coach Matt O’Connor.
The nine-time English champions boast 20 players with Test experience in their existing roster, including current England squad members Toby Flood, Ben Youngs, Tom Croft and Dan Cole.
Wallabies v Leicester Tigers
Tuesday, 9 November, 2010 at Welford Road, Leicester
Time: 7.30pm (local) / 3.30am (AWST) (Wednesday, 10 November)
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan (RSA)
1. James Slipper (Queensland Reds)
2. Huia Edmonds (Brumbies)
3. Salesi Ma’afu (Brumbies)
4. Van Humphries (Queensland Reds)
5. Rob Simmons (Queensland Reds)
6. Scott Higginbotham (Queensland Reds)
7. Matt Hodgson (Emirates Western Force)
8. Richard Brown (Emirates Western Force)
9. Luke Burgess (NSW Waratahs)
10. Berrick Barnes (c) (NSW Waratahs)
11. Lachie Turner (NSW Waratahs)
12. Anthony Faingaa (Queensland Reds)
13. Pat McCabe (Brumbies)
14. Rod Davies (Queensland Reds)
15. Peter Hynes (Queensland Reds)
Reserves:
16. Saia Faingaa (Queensland Reds)
17. Ben Daley (Queensland Reds)
18. Dean Mumm (NSW Waratahs)
19. Pat McCutcheon (NSW Waratahs)
20. Nick Phipps (Melbourne Rebels)
21. Matt Giteau (Brumbies)
22. Luke Morahan (Queensland Reds)
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Originally Posted by RugbyWA
