Wallaby coach to reduce squad

[pieter blackie]

The seven members of the Qantas Wallabies squad who are not required for Saturday night’s Lansdowne Cup Test against Ireland in Melbourne will be released for club duty, coach Robbie Deans confirmed today.

Deans and his co-selectors Jim Williams and Michael Foley will reveal their squad of 22 players for the opening match of the Bundaberg Rum Rugby Series on Wednesday morning.

While New South Wales hooker Tatafu Polata-Nau is....... rest here

[lara93]

hmmmm interesting...

[Burgs]

Why not released for Australia A duty

[jargan83]

Why not released for Australia A duty

i thought that would seem logical

[force addict]

what does it mean by 'club duty'?

[jargan83]

i assume club rugby

[shasta]

Why not released for Australia A duty

Logistics, probably. Plus the A squad deserve to develop their own cohesion, barring injuries in the top squad. I'm pretty sure they and the coaches all want to have the best possible chance of winning the PN Cup.

[jargan83]

I'm pretty sure they and the coaches all want to have the best possible chance of winning the PN Cup.

then don't pick so many Reds in the Aus A side

[BLR]

What's the bet if any of the Force players aren't playing they will be made to play in the Eastern States club comp...

[force addict]

no way! that's not fair. they can't do that can they?

[BLR]

no way! that's not fair. they can't do that can they?

Well I think not last season but the season before Cam Shepherd played in the NSW club competition despite him not being involved with any team....and they wouldn't want the players to leave Wallabies training camp for long I would suspect...

[TOCC]

it sounds like a good plan to me..

as for the Aus A game, well they are plaing in Samoa, its a bit far to travel

It will be a good boost to the club rugby for the players to come back and play for them, i know the Sydney and QLD comp are suffering at the moment because of the amount of players away with either the Wallabies, Aus A or the JWC.

[slomo]

thats where the ARC came in handy last year, more games for fringe players....

[Thequeerone]

Last year they stacked Aus A with ringers from the Wallabies and it back fired badly - the combinations etc.. all fell down. Guess they have to do something to keep em fit but can't see Club Rugby having much to do with Wallabies level -

[goony]

so cam shep might be playing for baysie this weekend?? haha likely story, that will be the day...