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The 24-man Qantas Wallabies travelling party for Saturday night’s Castrol Edge Tri Nations Series Test in Auckland has been named. The touring group includes 20 of the players who formed the match night squad when Australia beat South Africa 39-20 in Sydney on 23 July to open the series.
The additions are the NSW Waratahs quartet of halfback Luke Burgess, winger Lachie Turner and second rowers Dan Vickerman and Sitaleki Timani.
Burgess returns after proving his fitness following rehabilitation on a fractured hand, which he broke in training prior to the NSW Waratahs trip to Auckland for the qualifying semi-final of Super Rugby in June.
Turner is included in the travelling group after pleasing during recent outings for his Sydney club Eastwood, which included scoring a try during last weekend’s win by the Shute Shield front-runners over Parramatta.
Vickerman also featured strongly for Sydney University last weekend, getting through a full 80 minutes as the students over ran Northern Suburbs.
The 56-cap lock forward, returned to the Wallabies for the first time since 2008 when he appeared off the bench during the Castrol Edge Rugby Test against Samoa in Sydney last month.
Timani made his international debut in the same match after impressing for the Waratahs during the back end of the Super Rugby competition.
The players who have been omitted from the match night squad Australia fielded during the tournament opener are halfback Nick Phipps and lock Nathan Sharpe.
The Qantas Wallabies wrap up their training camp at The Southport School on the Gold Coast today, and will fly to Auckland tomorrow afternoon, arriving in New Zealand just before midnight local time.
Saturday night’s Test, at a ground where the All Blacks have been undefeated for 17 years, is the third match of this year’s Tri Nations, with Australia and New Zealand tied on five log points after both gained bonus point victories over South Africa in their respective opening matches.
The Australian squad heads to South Africa after the Auckland match, with the travelling squad for the team’s assignment in Durban on Saturday week extended to 26 players, with the extra players to be collected en-route on Sunday. The extra players for that trip will be confirmed after this weekend’s Test.
After Saturday night’s Test in Auckland, Australia and New Zealand will square off again in front of a sell out crowd at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium on August 27.
http://www.rugby.com.au/wallabies/Ne...2/Default.aspx
Wallabies touring squad: Ben Alexander, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Kurtley Beale, Luke Burgess, Quade Cooper, Pekahou Cowan, Rocky Elsom, Anthony Faingaa, Saia Faingaa, Will Genia, Scott Higginbotham, Matt Hodgson, James Horwill, Digby Ioane, Sekope Kepu, Pat McCabe, Ben McCalman, Stephen Moore, James O'Connor, David Pocock, Rob Simmons, Sitaleki Timani, Lachie Turner, Dan Vickerman.
Last edited by GAFFA; 02-08-11 at 08:00.
What is RD smoking dropping Sharpe for Sitaleki Timani????????
it has to be try-outs for the world cup.
I don't think sharpie is a bench player, and if he isn't starting, i don't think he should be on the bench. However, i think he should be starting.
wtf? Best lock in the country left out? Here's hoping they are just giving him a rest.
coz Stone Cold says so
Remember what happend last time Dingo dropped Sharpie.....can only hope for more of the same.
80 Minutes, 15 Positions, No Protection, Wanna Ruck?
Ruck Me, Maul Me, Make Me Scrum!
Education is Important, but Rugby is Importanter!
Robbie is a dick.
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.
some east coasters are saying that Sharpie was part of the reason why we lost to Samoa and hes paying the price now. I didnt see anything sharpie did wrong in that game.. and he certainly out played the Boks when he came on last week... i think its another experiment by Deans.
If i recall Sitaleki Timani dropped the ball almost every time he got his hands on it against Samoa...to say Sharpe was the reason for the lose to Samoa is a joke Phipps, Giteau and Davies are the villains from that game!
Blows my mind that Sharpie is being dropped. Add my voice to the chorus hoping that it's just experimentation or some elaborate play by Robbie for RWC glory. Maybe he's decided to take a play out of the South African playbook..
Interesting... Sharpe still a chance, plenty to offer the Wallabies... but he isn't the future so Deans has to see if Timani can settle in as an international lock, as he has a lot to offer Australian rugby... Deans wont have 2 locks on the bench in the 22.
Note Burgess has made it back, Hogo got back also, Pek and Lachie Turner...
Wallabies touring squad: Ben Alexander, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Kurtley Beale, Luke Burgess, Quade Cooper, Pekahou Cowan, Rocky Elsom, Anthony Faingaa, Saia Faingaa, Will Genia, Scott Higginbotham, Matt Hodgson, James Horwill, Digby Ioane, Sekope Kepu, Pat McCabe, Ben McCalman, Stephen Moore, James O'Connor, David Pocock, Rob Simmons, Sitaleki Timani, Lachie Turner, Dan Vickerman.
(With my All Blacks hat on) Bring it on!
I do question Dan Vickerman being in the side ahead of Sharpie doubting that he is a better jumper or ball carrier. A positive for Sharpie is that this is not the final WC squad with a couple more games to go..and after this coming Saturday's loss to the ABs, Deano may be encouraged to reconsider the makeup of his 2nd row combination.
Pleasantly surprised to see that according to the TV Guide, Channel 9 will be screening the game live. Can't wait..
Muddy,
It isn't the time to be looking at the future of the game, the last four years have been accumulating to now!
Rationalise all you want. RWC year or no; a Bledisloe Test at Eden Park is not the place to experiment. Especially with a lock who got the jitters when the Samoans belted our forwards off the ball all day. You can bet your last dollar that the AB's will be dishing up more of the same on Saturday.![]()
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
on the other hand they may go easy on him to make him look good!