Australian Barbarians named to play England in Gosford

[travelling_gerry]

There are five personnel changes to the Australian Barbarians team named today for Tuesday night’s Tour match against England at Central Coast Stadium in Gosford.

Peter Hynes, Kurtley Beale, Pat McCutcheon, Rob Simmons and Tatafu Polota-Nau are all new inclusions to the starting line-up, from the combination that drew with England 28-28 in Perth last week.

Hynes and McCutcheon both featured off the bench during the opening tour match at ME Bank Stadium, while Beale was an un-used substitute on that occasion.

Waratahs and Test hooker Polota-Nau returns to active service after missing the first three matches of the international programme as he rehabilitated an ankle injury, while Queensland Reds second rower Rob Simmons also re-enters, after missing the last two weeks of the Investec Bank Super 14 programme due to a fractured cheekbone.

Another change from last week’s run on line-up sees Beale step in at flyhalf, after scoring two tries from fullback during the Qantas Wallabies’ 49-3 Test win over Fiji earlier in the month. Beale will also handle the goal-kicking duties for the Australian side.

Brumbies skipper Stephen Hoiles will again lead the side, this time in a sole capacity, after sharing the reins with Berrick Barnes last week.

Barnes, who featured in last night’s 27-17 Test win over England in Perth, has been named on the bench.

Tuesday night’s match is the decider of a two-match series between the Australian Barbarians and England, with the honours even after last week’s thrilling drawn contest.

Both sides scored three tries in the game, with James O’Connor scoring all three of the Barbarians’ tries on a night where he contributed 25 of his team’s points.

The 19-year-old is listed on the Baabaas’ bench for the return game, after having featured from fullback in last night’s opening Cook Cup Test in the Bundaberg Red Series.

O’Connor is one of eight players who featured in last night’s match squad that again appear in the Australian squad. The others are Beale, Hynes, James Slipper, Mark Chisholm, Matt Hodgson, Luke Burgess and Barnes.

All but Beale and Hynes have been listed amongst the Barbarians’ reserves.

The game will be refereed by Steve Walsh.

The Australian Barbarians team to play England at Central Coast Stadium, Gosford, on Tuesday 16 June (kick-off 7.35pm, AEST) is:

1. Pekahou Cowan (Western Force)
2. Tatafu Polota-Nau (NSW Waratahs)
3. Laurie Weeks (Queensland Reds)
4. Mitchell Chapman (Brumbies)
5. Rob Simmons (Queensland Reds)
6. Ben McCalman (Western Force)
7. Pat McCutcheon (NSW Waratahs)
8. Stephen Hoiles (Brumbies, captain)

9. Josh Valentine (Brumbies)
10. Kurtley Beale (NSW Waratahs)
11. Lachie Turner (NSW Waratahs)
12. Anthony Faingaa (Queensland Reds)
13. Will Chambers (Queensland Reds)
14. Nick Cummins (Western Force)
15. Peter Hynes (Queensland Reds)

Run on reserves:

16. Huia Edmonds (Brumbies)
17. James Slipper (Queensland Reds)
18. Mark Chisholm (Brumbies)
19. Matt Hodgson (Western Force)
20. Luke Burgess (NSW Waratahs)
21. Berrick Barnes (NSW Waratahs)
22. James O’Connor (Western Force)

[Sheikh]

I'm not sure I see the point of having half of those names on the bench. Barnes and O'Connor will be starting at the weekend, and Hodgson, Burgess and Chisholm will at least be on the bench for the test.

I can see the benefit of bringing on bigger names if you want to secure the win, but I'd have thought there was more benefit on having a look at a few extra players.

[todd4]

After yesterdays game I thought they might have brought Fairbrother into the squad...

[pieter blackie]

After yesterdays game I thought they might have brought Fairbrother into the squad...

Exactly what I thought

[triggy84]

Why wouldn't they give genia some game time, so he can start in the test match and then send burgess back to club rugby!
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[Sheikh]

Why wouldn't they give genia some game time, so he can start in the test match and then send burgess back to club rugby!
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Still injured?

[WF2006]

After yesterdays game I thought they might have brought Fairbrother into the squad...

Hasn't he got some residency timeframe to do (2 years?) before he can qualify??

[jargan83]

I thought the Grandparent rule saw him qualify now

[Hoolly Doolly]

will be interested to see how beale goes at flyhalf.

[shasta]

will be interested to see how beale goes at flyhalf.

His confidence shoud be high. So yes, it will be interesting to see if he can maintain that at 10, particularly on defense. He's much fitter and looks bigger than during his previous times at 5/8.

[Hoolly Doolly]

The biggest difference between beale and cooper is coopers ability to fire out long, accurate cut out passes to the wings. This coupled with his footwork, short passing and running games makes the defensive line think and second guess. Beale as a playmaker for the waratahs became too predictable with his chip kicks and short passing game.

In attack I would like to see the forwards get involved more with pick and drives and a tighter attack when we're in the opposition 22. Last week both the barbarians and wallabies kept spreading the ball wide and seemed to avoid any forward play whenever they were close to the line. This might be ok against a team like england but against the kiwis and boks the forwards need to rumble more and biuld pressure with pick and drives before firing it out to the backs otherwise the AB's and boks will have a cruisy day defending.

[todd4]

Hasn't he got some residency timeframe to do (2 years?) before he can qualify??

Like Jargan said the fact he has an Aussie grandparent qualifies him straight away, there is a 3 year residency rule for overseas players who are unable to dig up any Aussie heritage. Thats the way I understand it. I also thought that was one of the reasons that Fairbrother came to an Aussie team because he was already qualified for the Wallabies...

[TOCC]

the live feed on Foxsports is about to begin...

[zimeric]

i was just about to post that