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Wallabies named to play Scotland
There is one change to the Qantas Wallabies starting line-up, and two to the bench, after the combination was named today for Saturday’s Hopetoun Cup Test against Scotland in Edinburgh (Sunday morning 4AM AEDT).
George Smith returns on the openside flank, in the place of last weekend’s man of the match David Pocock, who has been rested.
The 21-year-old’s place in the match day squad has been allocated to his Western Force team-mate Richard Brown, who will cover No 8 and openside flanker on the bench.
A further change among the run on reserves sees NSW Waratahs loosehead prop Sekope Kepu included, replacing Matt Dunning.
Wallabies coach Robbie Deans says the decision was made to rest Pocock due to the busy work load he’d already got through on the Spring Tour, having started against both New Zealand and Ireland, while coming off the bench against England.
He featured in all but eight minutes of last Sunday’s torrid encounter with Ireland, spending the missing time in the blood bin where a nasty chin gash was attended to. That injury subsequently required stitching after the match.
“David [Pocock] had an outstanding game, and was deservedly man of the match in Dublin, but he did get knocked around a bit,” Deans says.
“Because of that, we decided it was prudent to give him a complete breather at this point. We’re in the fortunate position of having George [Smith] in form and ready to go.”
Deans says the promotions into the Test squad for Brown and Kepu was a reward for their tour contributions to date.
It was also a general recognition of the work that was going in, and the contribution that was being made, by all of the players outside of the Test squad.
“Everyone is working really hard, but the enthusiasm that ‘Browny’ and ‘Keps’ in particular have brought to their work, both in the tour match at Gloucester and through training, has been first rate. They have earned this opportunity to return to the Test arena,” Deans says.
Brown played the most recent of his 11 Tests at No 8 against South Africa in Perth while Kepu has not featured at this level since his second appearance in a Test, coming off the bench against France at Paris during last year’s Spring Tour.
The 23-year-old subsequently tore his pectoral muscle during last year’s tour-ending win over the Barbarians at Wembley, only making his return with seven appearances off the bench for the Waratahs through the latter stages of the Investec Bank Super 14.
Although Australia has totally dominated its recent relationship with Scotland, Deans has resisted the temptation to make wholesale personnel changes, and warned Australians not to under-estimate the home side.
“They’re playing at home, have nothing to lose, and much to gain,” he says.
“They’ll bring a lot of enthusiasm and hunger to Saturday. They’ll also be very physical, totally committed and well organized.”
Scotland is prepared by England’s former Rugby World Cup-winning assistant coach Andy Robinson, who Deans has huge respect for.
“Andy’s record as a coach is outstanding and he’ll do some very good things with Scotland,” Deans says.
“They started with a win last weekend over Fiji, but I’m sure they will have kept a few things up their sleeve for us!”
Scotland beat Fiji 23-10 in Robinson’s first game in charge as head coach.
Australia has prepared this week in the knowledge that it can no longer achieve a Grand Slam of Great Britain and Ireland.
Despite the absence of that incentive, Deans insists the Wallabies have much to play for. They have quickly set aside the disappointment of being denied at the death last Sunday during the drawn match against the reigning Six Nations Grand Slam champions.
The Wallabies’ sights are now set on the completion of an unbeaten visit to Great Britain and Ireland. This is a feat which eluded even the country’s only successful Grand Slam achieving touring party.
Australia’s Test with Scotland will be followed by Tuesday night’s tour match against Celtic League club, the Cardiff Blues.
Cardiff beat the 1984 Australian tourists.
The current tourists then wrap up their visit with a Test against Wales at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday week where the James Bevan Trophy, which Australia surrendered during last year’s 18-21 loss at Cardiff, will once again be up for grabs.
This weekend’s match at Murrayfield Stadium will be refereed by Romain Poite of France.
The Qantas Wallabies team to play Scotland in the Hopetoun Cup Test at Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh, on Saturday 21 November, 5.15pm kick off (4.15am, Sun 22 Nov, AEST), is:
1. Benn Robinson (NSW Waratahs)
2. Stephen Moore (Brumbies)
3. Ben Alexander (Brumbies)
4. James Horwill (Queensland Reds)
5. Mark Chisholm (Brumbies)
6. Rocky Elsom (Brumbies, captain)
7. George Smith (Brumbies)
8. Wycliff Palu (NSW Waratahs)
9. Will Genia (Queensland Reds)
10. Matt Giteau (Brumbies)
11. Drew Mitchell (NSW Waratahs)
12. Quade Cooper (Queensland Reds)
13. Digby Ioane (Queensland Reds)
14. Peter Hynes (Queensland Reds)
15. Adam Ashley-Cooper (Brumbies)
Run on reserves:
16. Tatafu Polota-Nau (NSW Waratahs)
17. Sekope Kepu (NSW Waratahs)
18. Dean Mumm (NSW Waratahs)
19. Richard Brown (Western Force)
20. Luke Burgess (NSW Waratahs)
21. Ryan Cross (Western Force)
22. James O’Connor (Western Force)
Australia v Scotland – Historical Notes
+ While Scotland won seven of its first nine Tests against Australia, the Wallabies have won the last 16 in succession since the Scots prevailed 12-7 at Brisbane in 1982.
+ On Scottish soil, Australia has won nine matches and lost six, but the last eight wins have come in succession. This sequence was kicked off by the 1984 side, which completed Australia’s only Grand Slam of Great Britain and Ireland to date with a 37-12 drubbing of Scotland at Murrayfield.
+ No Australian player has ever scored more than two tries in a Test against Scotland. This feat has been achieved on 15 separate occasions. Scotland has scored 25 tries in Tests against Australia, and they’ve all been scored by different players.
+ George Smith will play his eighth Test against Scotland, joining Joe Roff and George Gregan as the second most capped Australian players against that country. Stephen Larkham holds the record, having played Scotland nine times.
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