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http://www.rugbyheaven.smh.com.au/news/international/wallabies-to-axe-sailor-and-giteau/2005/11/09/1131407677717.html
Sailor and GITEAU face the chop.
Mat Rogers is poised to displace Matt Giteau at five-eighth while fellow league convert Wendell Sailor is likely to be a shock axing in two of four Wallabies starting changes.
Winger Mark Gerrard, a last-start star against the All Blacks in September, is set to come from outside the 22 to replace Sailor for Saturday's crucial rugby union Test against England at Twickenham.
Along with Gerrard, young lock Hugh McMeniman, back-rower John Roe and winger Drew Mitchell appear set to be promoted after impressing off the bench in the 26-16 loss to France.
Australian coach Eddie Jones today appeared to reveal his hand in the London mizzle for a Test which could ultimately decide his future as well as that of captain George Gregan.
In a vigorous and intense full-contact training session at St Paul's College that included lengthy matchplay, Rogers shrugged off a sore wrist to run outside Gregan and with Mitchell and Gerrard on the wings.
Also on the same red team was McMeniman and Roe among what otherwise was last weekend's starting pack.
Mark Chisholm and Rocky Elsom, who trained in white bibs in opposition, appear to have been dropped to the bench.
The rejig would see Sailor dropped for the first time since his debut season in 2002, and McMeniman, nicknamed 'Madness', make his starting debut at 22 five months after withdrawing from Test rugby to beef up.
After training, Jones confirmed changes would be made when he announced his team on Thursday night (AEDT).
"We're going to make a few different selections this week to help improve the side," he said.
"None of it's about experimentation, it's all about finding better players to improve the side.
"Some of these guys might not be quite ready but we think that they might be better players than maybe the players in that position and therefore we're prepared to put them in that position."
Lloyd Johansson, a tackle-shedding midfield reserve in Marseille, may have even lost his place on the bench with Giteau able to cover inside centre as well as flyhalf.
Brendan Cannon appears to have kept his place at hooker despite struggling with his lineout throwing and making a costly handling error near the tryline.
With talented youngsters Stephen Moore and Tatafu Polota-Nau waiting in the wings, Jones is concerned about throwing them into the deep too early.
"Exposing a guy for 10 minutes in his first Test match at Twickenham is probably right. Exposing him to 80 minutes where they can get scolded is not right," he reasoned.
"And that's one of the things I have to be careful about."
What the hell is going on......
Sailor and GITEAU face the chop.
Mat Rogers is poised to displace Matt Giteau at five-eighth while fellow league convert Wendell Sailor is likely to be a shock axing in two of four Wallabies starting changes.
Winger Mark Gerrard, a last-start star against the All Blacks in September, is set to come from outside the 22 to replace Sailor for Saturday's crucial rugby union Test against England at Twickenham.
Along with Gerrard, young lock Hugh McMeniman, back-rower John Roe and winger Drew Mitchell appear set to be promoted after impressing off the bench in the 26-16 loss to France.
Australian coach Eddie Jones today appeared to reveal his hand in the London mizzle for a Test which could ultimately decide his future as well as that of captain George Gregan.
In a vigorous and intense full-contact training session at St Paul's College that included lengthy matchplay, Rogers shrugged off a sore wrist to run outside Gregan and with Mitchell and Gerrard on the wings.
Also on the same red team was McMeniman and Roe among what otherwise was last weekend's starting pack.
Mark Chisholm and Rocky Elsom, who trained in white bibs in opposition, appear to have been dropped to the bench.
The rejig would see Sailor dropped for the first time since his debut season in 2002, and McMeniman, nicknamed 'Madness', make his starting debut at 22 five months after withdrawing from Test rugby to beef up.
After training, Jones confirmed changes would be made when he announced his team on Thursday night (AEDT).
"We're going to make a few different selections this week to help improve the side," he said.
"None of it's about experimentation, it's all about finding better players to improve the side.
"Some of these guys might not be quite ready but we think that they might be better players than maybe the players in that position and therefore we're prepared to put them in that position."
Lloyd Johansson, a tackle-shedding midfield reserve in Marseille, may have even lost his place on the bench with Giteau able to cover inside centre as well as flyhalf.
Brendan Cannon appears to have kept his place at hooker despite struggling with his lineout throwing and making a costly handling error near the tryline.
With talented youngsters Stephen Moore and Tatafu Polota-Nau waiting in the wings, Jones is concerned about throwing them into the deep too early.
"Exposing a guy for 10 minutes in his first Test match at Twickenham is probably right. Exposing him to 80 minutes where they can get scolded is not right," he reasoned.
"And that's one of the things I have to be careful about."
What the hell is going on......
