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WEN McKenzie has confirmed the axing of Will Genia from the Wallabies squad to face France, while Bernard Foley will start at No. 10.
Coach McKenzie today named his side for Saturday night’s first Test against France at Suncorp Stadium.
As revealed by News Corp Australia last night, Genia is the shock omission from the 23-man squad with Nic White to start at halfback and Nick Phipps on the bench.
Foley has won the race to wear the No. 10 jersey, holding off a challenge from Waratahs teammate Kurtley Beale to win his first Test start.
Brumbies second-rower Sam Carter will debut at lock alongside Queensland’s Rob Simmons.
WALLABIES TEAM TO PLAY FRANCE
1. James Slipper
2. Stephen Moore
3. Sekope Kepu
4. Rob Simmons
5. Sam Carter
6. Scott Fardy
7. Michael Hooper
8. Wycliff Palu
9. Nic White
10. Bernard Foley
11. Nic Cummins
12. Matt Toomua
13. Tevita Kuridrani
14. Adam Ashley-Cooper
15. Israel Folau
RESERVES: Tatafu Polota-Nau, Pek Cowan, Paddy Ryan, James Horwill, Ben McCalman, Nick Phipps, Kurtley Beale, Pat McCabe.
Palu ahead if McCalman?
My thoughts too Jargan. But Palu is in good form at the mo and as he wears the right colour blue he becomes a shoo-in ;-p
What do you guys think of the selection of Slipper and Simmons?
Where the fk is hodgo?..........
So when Palu goes down after 15 mins, and McCalman has to replace him, what happens if Hooper is injured?
not sure about this team Kepu rarely starts with the Tahs, simmons has been horrible thsi season , Palu yes has strung together two godo games lately but surprise surprise was missing until hat point , McCalman deserved to be in front of him , Hodgo should have been on the bench to cover all three back row spots , Phibbs back up 9 ( please) . This group will have to stand up to retain their spots i reckon , i don't believe this is Links best side and he is playing a few head games with this lot picked .
To be fair Simmons did well in the last game I saw from the Reds (took a couple of defensive lineout steals and was strong in attack in the tight) I think Luke Jones should have been there instead, but experience has to count for something.Slipper is a mystery, as is no backup 7 (did Ewen even LOOK at footage from the last World Cup?) but On the Whole it's not too bad. The props are there because A Kieren is going to Europe (he would walk into TH if they are the best two we have) and B Pekka is getting on a bit.I worry about this team out wide with AAC, Pat McCabe and Beale the only ones out there in reality....HB, whilst an awesome winger doesn't use his speed, preferring to bash n barge his way through, the others either don't have any (McCabe) or don't have enough brain to know when to use it (Beale) or are there because Kuridrani is a better option at 13 (AAC) I want to see some jets on the other side of the field from Badge, that way they can feed off each other and provide a genuine point of difference. Are we waiting for Henry Speight to become eligible before we find some speed in the backline?
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