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Seven rookies named in Qantas Wallabies squad
June 02, 2008 - 11:25am
Story by: ARU
New Qantas Wallabies Head Coach Robbie Deans spaking at the Wallabies team announcement today in Sydney
New Qantas Wallabies coach Robbie Deans has today announced a 30-man squad for the 2008 Bundaberg Rum Rugby Series with seven new Wallabies included.
Waratahs Luke Burgess, Dean Mumm and Lachie Turner join Western Force duo Ryan Cross and Richard Brown, Queensland Reds winger Peter Hynes and the squad bolter rookie Brumbies prop Ben Alexander as the uncapped players in the squad.
There is a strong contingent of NSW Waratahs players, with 13 in all earning selection after Australias best-performed province reached the final of the Investec Super 14. The number may have been 14 if not for the injury sustained by Waratahs lock Dan Vickerman in the Investec Super 14 final against the Crusaders on Saturday night.
Vickerman will be sidelined for six weeks due to an ankle injury requiring surgery.
The Queensland Reds have six representatives in the Qantas Wallabies squad, including the oldest player in 32-year-old Sam Cordingley.
The Brumbies have also provided six players while five have been drawn from the Perth-based Western Force.
Several players from last years World Cup squad were not considered because of injury Vickerman, Chris Latham, Drew Mitchell, Scott Staniforth, Hugh McMeniman and Greg Holmes.
After flying into Sydney this morning to take up his new position, Deans was looking forward to starting work with the Qantas Wallabies, whose opening training session for the season will be staged tomorrow afternoon at Manly Oval from 3.30pm to 5pm.
Im delighted to be here, he said. This is an exciting opportunity and a new challenge taking on the role as Head Coach of the Qantas Wallabies.
It is also an honour. Australia has a rich Rugby history that includes winning the Rugby World Cup twice. My aim is to make a significant contribution to what is already a proud Wallabies heritage.
There are a lot of new faces in this squad, in both the playing ranks and the coaching staff. I look forward to working with the entire team ahead of our first assignment against Ireland in Melbourne.
Our ultimate goal is the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, but that is a long way into the future. In the interim there is a lot of hard work to be done.
Stirling Mortlock retains the Qantas Wallabies captaincy.
Its the start of a new era, with a new coach and many new faces within the squad, said Mortlock. With a few senior players from the World Cup no longer with us, there are challenges ahead, but were really looking forward to working hard with Robbie and getting results.
The Qantas Wallabies will play 14 Tests this year, including nine during the domestic season.
Six of them will be played in Australia, with two against France (in Sydney and Brisbane), two against New Zealand (also in Sydney and Brisbane), a Test against Ireland for the Lansdowne Cup in Melbourne, and a Tri-Nations meeting with the current Rugby World Cup champions South Africa in Perth.
The three away Tri Nations matches, all in August, include two against the Springboks in South Africa and a Bledisloe Cup game with New Zealand in Auckland.
Later in the year, the Wallabies will play a fourth Bledisloe Cup match against the All Blacks in Hong Kong en route to a Spring Tour of Europe where a further five matches four Tests and a game against the Barbarians are on the program.
2008 Qantas Wallabies Squad Notes
+ Over half (16 of 30) of the 2008 Squad have played in 10 or more Test Matches.
+ Seven players have more than 50 Test caps.
+ Scrumhalf Sam Cordingley is the oldest member of the Squad at 32, while the youngest is Waratahs winger Lachie Turner at 21.
+ Provincial split: 13 players from NSW Waratahs, six each from Queensland Reds and Brumbies and five from Western Force.
QANTAS WALLABIES SQUAD FOR THE 2008 BUNDABERG RUM RUGBY SERIES
PLAYER S14 DOB Ht (cm) Wt(kg) CAPS POINTS
Forwards (17)
Alexander, Ben Brum 13.11.84 189 120 0 0
Baxter, Alistair NSW 21.1.77 190 116 51 5
Brown, Richard WF 28.8.84 189 106 0 0
Chisholm, Mark Brum 18.9.81 197 115 35 25
Dunning, Matt NSW 19.12.78 182 119 36 0
Elsom, Rocky NSW 14.2.83 197 112 32 25
Freier, Adam NSW 20.3.80 175 101 20 10
Hoiles, Stephen Brum 13.10.81 190 98 15 15
Horwill, James QLD 29.5.85 200 117 1 0
Moore, Stephen QLD 20.1.83 186 112 20 5
Mumm, Dean NSW 5.3.84 196 109 0 0
Palu, Wycliff NSW 27.7.82 194 120 17 5
Polota-Nau, Tatafu NSW 26.7.85 181 113 3 0
Robinson, Benn NSW 19.7.84 183 113 6 0
Sharpe, Nathan WF 26.2.78 200 115 64 30
Smith, George Brum 14.7.80 180 104 83 45
Waugh, Phil NSW 22.9.79 175 100 66 20
Backs (13)
Ashley-Cooper, Adam Brum 27.3.84 182 97 12 20
Barnes, Berrick QLD 28.5.86 183 88 4 16
Burgess, Luke NSW 20.8.83 179 89 0 0
Cordingley, Sam QLD 20.3.76 178 87 14 0
Cross, Ryan WF 6.10.79 191 100 0 0
Giteau, Matt WF 29.9.82 178 85 51 259
Hynes, Peter QLD 18.7.82 180 92 0 0
Ioane, Digby QLD 14.7.85 179 94 1 5
Mortlock, Stirling Brum 20.5.77 191 102 63 463
Sheehan, Brett NSW 16.9.79 173 90 1 0
Shepherd, Cameron WF 30.3.84 189 97 6 19
Tuqiri, Lote NSW 23.9.79 191 104 58 140
Turner, Lachie NSW 11.5.87 189 88 0 0
2007 World Cup squad players not considered for selection due to injury:
Holmes, Greg QLD 11.6.83 183 112 13 10
Latham, Chris QLD 8.9.75 193 102 78 200
Mitchell, Drew WF 26.3.84 182 92 21 70
McMeniman, Hugh QLD 1.11.83 200 114 12 0
Staniforth, Scott WF 12.12.77 188 99 12 35
Vickerman, Dan NSW 4.6.79 204 115 52 0
Players also not considered for selection in the Qantas Wallabies squad or the Australia A squad due to injury:
PLAYER Super 14 Team
Carter, Tom NSW
Edwards, Dayna QLD
Fava, Scott WF
Hockings, Tom WF
Horua, Tamaiti WF
Kepu, Sekope NSW
Lealiifano, Christian Brumbies
Roe, John QLD
Schifcofske, Clinton QLD
Vaaulu, Brando QLD
----------------------------
Yanuyanutawa the bolter in Australia A squad
June 02, 2008 - 11:44am
Story by: ARU
23-year-old Sydney University prop Jerry Yanuyanutawa was the bolter in the 26-man Australia A squad selected for the 2008 iRB Pacific Nations Cup
Sydney University loosehead prop Jerry Yanuyanutawa is the bolter in the 26-man Australia A squad announced today for the upcoming iRB Pacific Nations Cup.
The blockbusting 23-year-old has been rewarded for an outstanding season with Sydney University in Sydneys Shute Shield club competition.
The selection of Yanuyanutawa marks an amazing year for the nephew of Fijian Rugby legend Waisale Serevi, who was plucked from third grade to play for the Students in their Shute Shield Grand final triumph against Easts in 2007.
The Australia A squad has seven players with Qantas Wallabies experience Alister Campbell, Mark Gerrard, Sean Hardman, Guy Shepherdson, Sam Norton-Knight,Tai McIsaac and Morgan Turinui.
Several of the games rising stars have also won selection, including Queensland Reds scrumhalf Ben Lucas and Investec Super 14 Rookie of the Series, centreTyrone Smith, cousin of Wallabies flanker George Smith.
Tyrone and his Brumbies team-mate, backrower Mitchell Chapman, along with Queensland centre Turinui, will join the Australia A squad following their commitments with a star-studded Barbarians team, currently touring Europe.
The Brumbies provide the bulk of the Australia A squad with 11 players.
There are six from the Queensland Reds, four each from the NSW Waratahs and Western Force, and Yanuyanutawa from Sydney University.
The Pacific Nations Cup provides Australia A with high-quality international matches against Japan, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji and NZ Maori in a round-robin format over five weeks during June and July.
Newly appointed Australia A coach Phil Mooney said the PNC tournament will provide a competitive testing ground for both the seasoned internationals and the rookies in the squad.
It is an exciting squad with a blend of seasoned Test players and some outstanding young players, said Mooney.
This is a great tournament which enables players to compete at a high level of Rugby on a consistent basis post Super 14.
It also complements the Wallabies season and allows Robbie Deans to see a large pool of players in a competitive environment.
There is no such thing as an easy match in international Rugby and part of the Australia A program is for the Wallabies coaching staff to see which players can adapt and respond at a higher level.
AustraliaA begin their campaign in f**kuoka against Japan on Sunday, 8 June, before travelling to Apia to play Samoa the following Saturday.
The squad then returns to Australia and will play Tonga at North Sydney Oval on Sunday, 22 June.
International rugby returns to Ballymore with Australia A to face World Cup quarter-finalists Fiji at the home of Queensland Rugby.
Australia A concludes its iRB Pacific Nations Cup campaign against NZ Maori, who have replaced the Junior all Blacks in the competition, at the Sydney Football Stadium on Sunday, 6 July.
AUSTRALIA A SQUAD FOR THE 2008 IRB PACIFIC NATIONS CUP
Forwards: Al Campbell (Brumbies), Mitchell Chapman (Brumbies), Pek Cowan (Western Force), Sean Hardman (QLD), Matt Hodgson (Western Force), Leroy Houston (QLD), Van Humphries (QLD), Peter Kimlin (Brumbies), Poutasi Luafutu (QLD), Tai McIsaac (Western Force), Salesi Maafu (Brumbies), Julian Salvi (Brumbies), Guy Shepherdson (Brumbies), Jerry Yanuyanutawa (Sydney University).
Backs: Matt Carraro (NSW), Scott Daruda (Western Force), Francis Fainifo (Brumbies), Mark Gerrard (Brumbies). Daniel Halangahu (NSW), Josh Holmes (Brumbies), Ben Lucas (QLD), Sam Norton-Knight (NSW), Patrick Phibbs (Brumbies), Tyrone Smith (Brumbies), Timana Tahu (NSW), Morgan Turinui (QLD).
June 02, 2008 - 11:25am
Story by: ARU
New Qantas Wallabies Head Coach Robbie Deans spaking at the Wallabies team announcement today in SydneyNew Qantas Wallabies coach Robbie Deans has today announced a 30-man squad for the 2008 Bundaberg Rum Rugby Series with seven new Wallabies included.
Waratahs Luke Burgess, Dean Mumm and Lachie Turner join Western Force duo Ryan Cross and Richard Brown, Queensland Reds winger Peter Hynes and the squad bolter rookie Brumbies prop Ben Alexander as the uncapped players in the squad.
There is a strong contingent of NSW Waratahs players, with 13 in all earning selection after Australias best-performed province reached the final of the Investec Super 14. The number may have been 14 if not for the injury sustained by Waratahs lock Dan Vickerman in the Investec Super 14 final against the Crusaders on Saturday night.
Vickerman will be sidelined for six weeks due to an ankle injury requiring surgery.
The Queensland Reds have six representatives in the Qantas Wallabies squad, including the oldest player in 32-year-old Sam Cordingley.
The Brumbies have also provided six players while five have been drawn from the Perth-based Western Force.
Several players from last years World Cup squad were not considered because of injury Vickerman, Chris Latham, Drew Mitchell, Scott Staniforth, Hugh McMeniman and Greg Holmes.
After flying into Sydney this morning to take up his new position, Deans was looking forward to starting work with the Qantas Wallabies, whose opening training session for the season will be staged tomorrow afternoon at Manly Oval from 3.30pm to 5pm.
Im delighted to be here, he said. This is an exciting opportunity and a new challenge taking on the role as Head Coach of the Qantas Wallabies.
It is also an honour. Australia has a rich Rugby history that includes winning the Rugby World Cup twice. My aim is to make a significant contribution to what is already a proud Wallabies heritage.
There are a lot of new faces in this squad, in both the playing ranks and the coaching staff. I look forward to working with the entire team ahead of our first assignment against Ireland in Melbourne.
Our ultimate goal is the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, but that is a long way into the future. In the interim there is a lot of hard work to be done.
Stirling Mortlock retains the Qantas Wallabies captaincy.
Its the start of a new era, with a new coach and many new faces within the squad, said Mortlock. With a few senior players from the World Cup no longer with us, there are challenges ahead, but were really looking forward to working hard with Robbie and getting results.
The Qantas Wallabies will play 14 Tests this year, including nine during the domestic season.
Six of them will be played in Australia, with two against France (in Sydney and Brisbane), two against New Zealand (also in Sydney and Brisbane), a Test against Ireland for the Lansdowne Cup in Melbourne, and a Tri-Nations meeting with the current Rugby World Cup champions South Africa in Perth.
The three away Tri Nations matches, all in August, include two against the Springboks in South Africa and a Bledisloe Cup game with New Zealand in Auckland.
Later in the year, the Wallabies will play a fourth Bledisloe Cup match against the All Blacks in Hong Kong en route to a Spring Tour of Europe where a further five matches four Tests and a game against the Barbarians are on the program.
2008 Qantas Wallabies Squad Notes
+ Over half (16 of 30) of the 2008 Squad have played in 10 or more Test Matches.
+ Seven players have more than 50 Test caps.
+ Scrumhalf Sam Cordingley is the oldest member of the Squad at 32, while the youngest is Waratahs winger Lachie Turner at 21.
+ Provincial split: 13 players from NSW Waratahs, six each from Queensland Reds and Brumbies and five from Western Force.
QANTAS WALLABIES SQUAD FOR THE 2008 BUNDABERG RUM RUGBY SERIES
PLAYER S14 DOB Ht (cm) Wt(kg) CAPS POINTS
Forwards (17)
Alexander, Ben Brum 13.11.84 189 120 0 0
Baxter, Alistair NSW 21.1.77 190 116 51 5
Brown, Richard WF 28.8.84 189 106 0 0
Chisholm, Mark Brum 18.9.81 197 115 35 25
Dunning, Matt NSW 19.12.78 182 119 36 0
Elsom, Rocky NSW 14.2.83 197 112 32 25
Freier, Adam NSW 20.3.80 175 101 20 10
Hoiles, Stephen Brum 13.10.81 190 98 15 15
Horwill, James QLD 29.5.85 200 117 1 0
Moore, Stephen QLD 20.1.83 186 112 20 5
Mumm, Dean NSW 5.3.84 196 109 0 0
Palu, Wycliff NSW 27.7.82 194 120 17 5
Polota-Nau, Tatafu NSW 26.7.85 181 113 3 0
Robinson, Benn NSW 19.7.84 183 113 6 0
Sharpe, Nathan WF 26.2.78 200 115 64 30
Smith, George Brum 14.7.80 180 104 83 45
Waugh, Phil NSW 22.9.79 175 100 66 20
Backs (13)
Ashley-Cooper, Adam Brum 27.3.84 182 97 12 20
Barnes, Berrick QLD 28.5.86 183 88 4 16
Burgess, Luke NSW 20.8.83 179 89 0 0
Cordingley, Sam QLD 20.3.76 178 87 14 0
Cross, Ryan WF 6.10.79 191 100 0 0
Giteau, Matt WF 29.9.82 178 85 51 259
Hynes, Peter QLD 18.7.82 180 92 0 0
Ioane, Digby QLD 14.7.85 179 94 1 5
Mortlock, Stirling Brum 20.5.77 191 102 63 463
Sheehan, Brett NSW 16.9.79 173 90 1 0
Shepherd, Cameron WF 30.3.84 189 97 6 19
Tuqiri, Lote NSW 23.9.79 191 104 58 140
Turner, Lachie NSW 11.5.87 189 88 0 0
2007 World Cup squad players not considered for selection due to injury:
Holmes, Greg QLD 11.6.83 183 112 13 10
Latham, Chris QLD 8.9.75 193 102 78 200
Mitchell, Drew WF 26.3.84 182 92 21 70
McMeniman, Hugh QLD 1.11.83 200 114 12 0
Staniforth, Scott WF 12.12.77 188 99 12 35
Vickerman, Dan NSW 4.6.79 204 115 52 0
Players also not considered for selection in the Qantas Wallabies squad or the Australia A squad due to injury:
PLAYER Super 14 Team
Carter, Tom NSW
Edwards, Dayna QLD
Fava, Scott WF
Hockings, Tom WF
Horua, Tamaiti WF
Kepu, Sekope NSW
Lealiifano, Christian Brumbies
Roe, John QLD
Schifcofske, Clinton QLD
Vaaulu, Brando QLD
----------------------------
Yanuyanutawa the bolter in Australia A squad
June 02, 2008 - 11:44am
Story by: ARU
23-year-old Sydney University prop Jerry Yanuyanutawa was the bolter in the 26-man Australia A squad selected for the 2008 iRB Pacific Nations CupSydney University loosehead prop Jerry Yanuyanutawa is the bolter in the 26-man Australia A squad announced today for the upcoming iRB Pacific Nations Cup.
The blockbusting 23-year-old has been rewarded for an outstanding season with Sydney University in Sydneys Shute Shield club competition.
The selection of Yanuyanutawa marks an amazing year for the nephew of Fijian Rugby legend Waisale Serevi, who was plucked from third grade to play for the Students in their Shute Shield Grand final triumph against Easts in 2007.
The Australia A squad has seven players with Qantas Wallabies experience Alister Campbell, Mark Gerrard, Sean Hardman, Guy Shepherdson, Sam Norton-Knight,Tai McIsaac and Morgan Turinui.
Several of the games rising stars have also won selection, including Queensland Reds scrumhalf Ben Lucas and Investec Super 14 Rookie of the Series, centreTyrone Smith, cousin of Wallabies flanker George Smith.
Tyrone and his Brumbies team-mate, backrower Mitchell Chapman, along with Queensland centre Turinui, will join the Australia A squad following their commitments with a star-studded Barbarians team, currently touring Europe.
The Brumbies provide the bulk of the Australia A squad with 11 players.
There are six from the Queensland Reds, four each from the NSW Waratahs and Western Force, and Yanuyanutawa from Sydney University.
The Pacific Nations Cup provides Australia A with high-quality international matches against Japan, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji and NZ Maori in a round-robin format over five weeks during June and July.
Newly appointed Australia A coach Phil Mooney said the PNC tournament will provide a competitive testing ground for both the seasoned internationals and the rookies in the squad.
It is an exciting squad with a blend of seasoned Test players and some outstanding young players, said Mooney.
This is a great tournament which enables players to compete at a high level of Rugby on a consistent basis post Super 14.
It also complements the Wallabies season and allows Robbie Deans to see a large pool of players in a competitive environment.
There is no such thing as an easy match in international Rugby and part of the Australia A program is for the Wallabies coaching staff to see which players can adapt and respond at a higher level.
AustraliaA begin their campaign in f**kuoka against Japan on Sunday, 8 June, before travelling to Apia to play Samoa the following Saturday.
The squad then returns to Australia and will play Tonga at North Sydney Oval on Sunday, 22 June.
International rugby returns to Ballymore with Australia A to face World Cup quarter-finalists Fiji at the home of Queensland Rugby.
Australia A concludes its iRB Pacific Nations Cup campaign against NZ Maori, who have replaced the Junior all Blacks in the competition, at the Sydney Football Stadium on Sunday, 6 July.
AUSTRALIA A SQUAD FOR THE 2008 IRB PACIFIC NATIONS CUP
Forwards: Al Campbell (Brumbies), Mitchell Chapman (Brumbies), Pek Cowan (Western Force), Sean Hardman (QLD), Matt Hodgson (Western Force), Leroy Houston (QLD), Van Humphries (QLD), Peter Kimlin (Brumbies), Poutasi Luafutu (QLD), Tai McIsaac (Western Force), Salesi Maafu (Brumbies), Julian Salvi (Brumbies), Guy Shepherdson (Brumbies), Jerry Yanuyanutawa (Sydney University).
Backs: Matt Carraro (NSW), Scott Daruda (Western Force), Francis Fainifo (Brumbies), Mark Gerrard (Brumbies). Daniel Halangahu (NSW), Josh Holmes (Brumbies), Ben Lucas (QLD), Sam Norton-Knight (NSW), Patrick Phibbs (Brumbies), Tyrone Smith (Brumbies), Timana Tahu (NSW), Morgan Turinui (QLD).
