Four new faces in Wallabies team to play Samoa
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Four new faces in Wallabies team to play Samoa
Wallabies captain Rocky Elsom has been named to make his return to rugby alongside four newcomers in Australia’s team to face Samoa in their season-opening Test in Sydney on Sunday.
Elsom has played just one match since the Wallabies’ 2010 spring tour finale against France last November due to hamstring and ankle injuries.
But the blindside flanker will lead Australia into battle against the Pacific Islanders at ANZ Stadium after coach Robbie Deans today announced his first Test line-up of 2011.
Melbourne Rebels halfback Nick Phipps and NSW Waratahs lock Sitaleki Timani have both won selection in the starting XV, while the Queensland Reds pair of hooker James Hanson and flanker Beau Robinson were picked on the bench.
One front row position on the bench is still to be named after prop Benn Robinson tweaked his knee at training yesterday. Western Force prop Pek Cowan and NSW Waratahs prop Al Baxter were set to join the team at training on Wednesday afternoon.
Other features of the playing roster include a first Test start for Pat McCabe, who has been named at inside centre after finishing the Super Rugby season strongly in that position for the Brumbies.
McCabe has long been viewed as a midfield option by coach Deans and has been given his chance to work in tandem with fellow Brumbies Matt Giteau and Adam Ashley-Cooper on either side of him.
Giteau has been given first shot at securing the five-eighth jersey while Ashley-Cooper returns to outside centre for the first time this year, having been largely employed on the wing at his Super Rugby franchise.
At halfback, Phipps has been handed his maiden Test start after first wearing the Wallabies jersey during the spring tour match against Irish province Munster.
He and returning fullback Mark Gerrard will become the first two players to represent the Rebels in the Australian Test side, with Gerrard to feature in his 24th Test but his first since the Wallabies’ win over Japan at the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
Dan Vickerman is also back. The NSW second rower, who has 55 Test caps to his name, has been named on the bench and will complete a remarkable comeback to international rugby after having taken three years out to finalise his studies in England.
In the second row, Timani will become the second member of his family to play Test rugby this year: his elder brother Sione has already represented Tonga in the Pacific Nations Cup tournament.
While several stars are being rested, including Queensland captain James Horwill and five-eighth Quade Cooper, Deans says the decision was in no way disrespectful to Samoa, with a strong line-up being fielded.
‘‘Given the high most of those blokes had last weekend, it’s my experience that it does take a little while to come down from that,’’ he said.
‘‘They’ve refocused quickly on the task at hand representing their country, which is why we’ve included a good group of those players in the match-day 22.
‘‘They’ll get their opportunity.’’
Australia: Mark Gerrard, James O'Connor, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Pat McCabe, Digby Ioane, Matt Giteau, Nick Phipps, Ben McCalman, Matt Hodgson, Rocky Elsom (capt), Nathan Sharpe, Sitaleki Timani, Ben Alexander, Stephen Moore, Sekope Kepu. Reserves: James Hanson, TBA, Dan Vickerman, Scott Higginbotham, Beau Robinson, Will Genia, Kurtley Beale.
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/un...713-1hd3b.html
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Originally Posted by joblot
