Qantas Wallabies Spring Tour Training Squad Named

[slomo]

scotland and england will be no walk over.........
Posted via Mobile Device

[TOCC]

england should never be considered a walkover, they have such a large pool of top quality experienced players to pick from

---------- Post added at 17:39 ---------- Previous post was at 17:36 ----------

Kingi has gotten a lot more ink since earlier in the year, bringing out the kiwi in him

[James]

I don't know if its been posted elsewhere but the Wallabies will be playing Gloucester on November 3 (between ABs and England). No word on any other midweek games yet.

Yeah maybe I was being a bit harsh or perhaps foolish saying England was a gimme. I will remain skeptical about their backs though. I don't think they have the talent to convert forward domination into points. The one thing you forget about the obliteration of the Wallabies forward pack in 2007 is that Mortlock could've kicked a win in the 78th minute. I don't think I've ever seen the Wallabies bashed as badly as that and yet England didn't have a whole heap to show for it. Those guys won't have played together for a while and I reckon the game against New Zealand the week before will have the players sharp and on their toes. Unless of course Australia win in Tokyo in which case knowing the Wallabies they'll play like a pile of pooh at Twickenham.

[mudskipper]

Its an Australia A and Wallabies tour mid weeks at least 3.... Needles and splitters tour of the UK and Ireland for many.... We need to play the Ospreys and settle the score........

[TOCC]

australia are also negotiating for one more mid-week game against a yet to be named english opposition.

[Thequeerone]

Glouster Tuesday 3rd of November

[Endurance]

Damien Fitzpatrick should probably count himself lucky after Freir and Hardman were both injured in there respective club Grand Finals

Richard Kingi is a bit of a surprise, until last week he didnt even have a academy contract in australia

Only because every club was fighting for his signiture... He was a class above anyone in the U20World Cup this year.

[James]

Yeah but academy contract? We have 4 (?) contracted at the Force in Sheehan, O'Young, Turner and Swanepoel and the Tahs have 3 in Burgess, Holmes and Sua. Who do the Brumbies have besides Phibbs and Valentine? I mean the Reds only had Genia and Lucas. You'd have thought that he'd get a full contract.

[slomo]

Is there not a limit for this stuff? It seems like every man and his dog has been included. Can they take all those boys on tour, or do they need to slim it down a bit?

The final traveling squad is 35.....
Posted via Mobile Device

[shasta]

I can't remember a coach in recent history who has gone so far out and tried so many things - didn't Bob Dwyer pluck Matthew Burke from Club rugby to play for the Wallabies.

Eddie Jones - Matt Giteau

Bob Dwyer also grabbed Phil Kearns from Randwick Reserves. Some bloke named Eddie Jones was first grade hooker at the time. Obviously didn't rate him. Still no love lost there, I reckon.

[TOCC]

Yeah but academy contract? We have 4 (?) contracted at the Force in Sheehan, O'Young, Turner and Swanepoel and the Tahs have 3 in Burgess, Holmes and Sua. Who do the Brumbies have besides Phibbs and Valentine? I mean the Reds only had Genia and Lucas. You'd have thought that he'd get a full contract.

the Reds also had Brendan McKibbon in the academy in 2009, he was only signed to the academy after Genia and Lucas got injured. QLD did have another halfback in the academy, mark swanepole, but he obviously moved to the Force mid-way through the season.

Probably lucky he did, otherwise the Reds wouldnt have been able to sign Kingi.

[James]

the Reds also had Brendan McKibbon in the academy in 2009, he was only signed to the academy after Genia and Lucas got injured. QLD did have another halfback in the academy, mark swanepole, but he obviously moved to the Force mid-way through the season.

Probably lucky he did, otherwise the Reds wouldnt have been able to sign Kingi.

I think Swanepoel came over before the Super 14 when Justin Turner was ruled out with back stress fractures and Valetine and O'Young weren't going too well either.[COLOR="Silver"]

Kingi is a great performer but I think Mitch prefers Swanepoel for the 12kg weight advantage. Kingi is super talented and has a great skill set but Mitch seems to prefer the bigger halfbacks in the 4th backrower mould.

[jargan83]

Agree with earlier sentiments that England will not be a push over at home. Scotland however will be a win. The tough games on this tour will be Ireland and Wales

[mudskipper]

the Wallabies will have to fight for every win on tour... they're to up and down to not worry about a safe result...