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Deans prepares to keep spot open for Tuqiri
Bret Harris | September 22, 2008
WALLABIES coach Robbie Deans will consider expanding the touring party bound for Hong Kong and Europe, depending on the fitness of winger Lote Tuqiri, who is in doubt with a knee injury.
Deans originally intended taking 33 players on the six-match tour but is now looking at adding an extra player.
Tuqiri carried the niggling knee injury in Australia's first nine Tests this year and underwent arthroscopic surgery last Monday.
Deans is expected to name a 33-man squad as planned tomorrow and if Tuqiri passes a medical examination in a month he will become the 34th member.
The uncertainty over Tuqiri may have influenced Deans to go for extra cover on the wing.
Tuqiri has started on the left wing in eight of the Wallabies' nine Tests, while Peter Hynes has started on the right wing in all nine. The only other player to start on the wing was Lachlan Turner, who replaced the injured Tuqiri in the Wallabies' 40-10 win against France in Brisbane.
Adam Ashley-Cooper, Ryan Cross and Drew Mitchell have also spent time on the wing as replacements.
But none of those players is a specialist winger, which may open the door for Digby Ioane to make the tour as a development project.
Deans may also look to shore up an area of weakness in the inside backs by taking both Kurtley Beale and Quade Cooper, who can play five-eighth and inside centre.
While Beale and Cooper have not been part of the extended squad, they were both sent away with the Australian team to the under-20 World Cup - along with openside flanker David Pocock - to gain international experience.
There is also a strong argument for the inclusion of James O'Connor, the 18-year-old Western Force inside back, who can play five-eighth, inside centre and fullback.
O'Connor would have been involved in the under-20 tournament, but he was too young under IRB regulations. If Ioane does not make the cut, it could create room for O'Connor.
Whether Deans takes Beale, Cooper and/or O'Connor, the fact remains he has to develop depth in the inside backs.
Matt Giteau started at five-eight in all nine Tests this year, while Barnes had a mortgage on the No12 jersey until he sustained a shoulder injury in the Wallabies' 27-15 win against South Africa in Durban.
Rugby league convert Timana Tahu was trialled unsuccessfully at inside centre in the record 53-8 loss to the Springboks in Johannesburg.
This resulted in captain and outside centre Stirling Mortlock starting at inside centre and covering five-eighth in the Wallabies' 28-24 loss to the All Blacks in Brisbane.
The Wallabies' 30-man Tri-Nations squad, minus departed forwards Dan Vickerman and Rocky Elsom, is expected to be named in the touring party.
This means Deans will look to add another six players.
Forwards Mark Chisholm and Stephen Hoiles, who were members of the Wallabies' 30-man squad for the in-bound Tests against Ireland and France, would be in the frame. Hoiles could go as extra cover for number eight after Wycliff Palu injured a knee in the Tri-Nations decider in Brisbane.
Pocock is certain to go away as a third openside flanker behind veterans George Smith and Phil Waugh, while prop Sekope Kepu would add depth to the front row.
If Beale and Cooper secure tour places, it may leave Ioane and O'Connor competing for the
final spot.
Likely Wallabies squad:
Forwards - Ben Alexander, Al Baxter, Richard Brown, Mark Chisholm, Matt Dunning, Adam Freier, James Horwill, Sekope Kepu, Hugh McMeniman, Stephen Moore, Dean Mumm, Wycliff Palu, David Pocock, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Benn Robinson, Nathan Sharpe, George Smith, Phil Waugh.
Backs - Adam Ashley-Cooper, Berrick Barnes, Kurtley Beale, Luke Burgess, Quade Cooper, Sam Cordingley, Ryan Cross, Drew Mitchell, Matt Giteau, Peter Hynes, Digby Ioane/James O'Connor, Stirling Mortlock, Brett Sheehan, Timana Tahu, Lote Tuqiri, Lachlan Turner
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...015651,00.html