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Australia have named a 30-man squad for next week's game against New Zealand, with Wycliff Palu, Sekope Kepu and Drew Mitchell all returning.
The previously injured trio of all come in after being included in the squad that will assemble ahead of the final Bledisloe Cup Test of the year.
Palu most recently appeared for Australia at last year's RWC, being kept out of action this term due to a shoulder injury. A wretched run of injuries has restricted the number eight to two Tests - against Ireland and the USA last year - since the 2009 Grand Slam tour of the UK and Ireland.
Kepu and Mitchell both featured earlier in the year before striking trouble during the early stages of the recently completed Rugby Championship.
After appearing in two of the three Tests of the Wales Tour, as well as the Bledisloe Cup opener against New Zealand in Sydney, Kepu damaged his knee at training the following week, which ended his participation in the inaugural Rugby Championship.
Mitchell who, like Palu, has endured a difficult time with injuries through the last two years, managing just four Test appearances in that period; injured his ankle during his first Test of the season against New Zealand at Eden Park.
The return of the trio has been complemented by the availability of back Adam Ashley-Cooper, after he was forced to miss last weekend's courageous 25-19 win over Argentina at Rosario due to a concussion, which had been suffered a week earlier during the loss to South Africa at Pretoria. Ashley-Cooper has since been cleared to return to active duty.
The reinforcements are a boost as the Wallabies prepare to take on the Rugby World Cup-winning All Blacks next Saturday night at Suncorp Stadium.
The New Zealand side, which recently won the inaugural Rugby Championship, will cross the Tasman on Thursday seeking to maintain a 16-match unbeaten sequence which dates back to its visit to Brisbane last year.
Suncorp Stadium was the scene of the All Blacks' most recent defeat, with Australia's 25-20 success landing the Wallabies the Tri Nations title for the first time in 10-years in the last of the three-way series to be played.
30-man Wallabies squad: Mike Harris, Nick Cummins, Drew Mitchell, Dominic Shipperley, Digby Ioane, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Ben Tapuai, Anthony Fainga'a, Pat McCabe, Kurtley Beale, Nick Phipps, Brett Sheehan, Wycliff Palu, Radike Samo, Scott Higginbotham, Michael Hooper, Liam Gill, Dave Dennis, Rob Simmons, Sitaleki Timani, Nathan Sharpe (captain), Kane Douglas, Sekope Kepu, Paddy Ryan, Ben Alexander, James Slipper, Benn Robinson, James Hanson, Saia Fainga'a, Tatafu Polota-Nau.
Comments
logophile says...
georgesmith, your rants have no basis in reality and they bore me. You bore me.
Posted 00:08 16th October 2012
logophile says...
I'd like to see the Honey Badger get some more game time.
Posted 00:03 16th October 2012
isthatrightref says...
@ melkdave... well they're certainly hiding FROM the mirrors...
Posted 10:49 15th October 2012
kiwilad says...
Georgesmith, why do you not apply for tha player/coach position of the Robberies.
Deans and Sharp are both awful according to your mindless rants.
perhaps you could be the saviour of Aus Rugby??
Or perhaps you could find another place to vent your ramblings?? An Asylum?
Posted 23:17 14th October 2012
melkdave says...
@IsThatRightref
Thanks for the info ,and imsure the wallaby management will be hiding all the mirrors from now on LOL
Posted 21:42 14th October 2012
isthatrightref says...
@ melkdave... apparently his hammy still isn't right, now scheduled to return on the EOYT unless of course he strains it again posing ifo the mirror...
Posted 08:55 14th October 2012
georgesmith says...
R. Deans' selection is pathetic. S. Kepu's recall can never be justified and is a joke. The Kiwi clown just won't pick the right players because he doesn't want Wallabies to beat ABs. S. Kepu, N.Sharpe, D. Dennis and R. Deans are rotten eggs. No other Test-rugby teams will ever pick S. Kepu because he is the worst tight-head prop ever.
Posted 08:31 14th October 2012
paulynz says...
Hope AAC and Mitchell are okay. Marvelous players who always give 110%.
Posted 03:37 14th October 2012
Wallaroo says...
I'd like to see the following squad for the final Bloodyslow cup game, although I'm sure Deans knows best and will have the privilege of watching them in training:
15 Adam Ashley-Cooper
14 Dominic Shipperley
13 Nick Cummins
12 Pat McCabe
11 Digby Ioane
10 Kurtley Beale
9 Nick Phipps
8 Wycliff Palu
7 Michael Hooper
6 Liam Gill
5 Nathan Sharpe
4 Sitaleki Timani
3 Paddy Ryan
2 Tatafu Polota-Nau
1 Benn Robinson
Bench
16 James Slipper
17 Scott Higginbotham
18 Radike Samo
19 Saia Fainga'a
20 Brett Sheehan
21 Mike Harris
22 Drew Mitchell
Posted 23:32 13th October 2012
Connaughtabu says...
Bloody hell, playing each other again? Can anyone have any interest in these meaningless, repeat fixtures. How about playing, Samoa, Fiji and Tonga and bring there game on.
:-))
Posted 18:27 13th October 2012
melkdave says...
Still no JOCwasnt he supposed to be fit for the pumas game??or has he had complications ,anyone know??Apart from not seeing him in the squad ,its pretty much as i expected except for Mitchel thought he would be out for longer .But then what do iknow about the wallaby injury crisis atm ,not alot it seems lol.
Posted 11:34 13th October 2012
StunTheMullet says...
Dear Dingo, make sure to throw them straight into a test against the All Blacks to find their form.
Posted 09:47 13th October 2012
chisel68 says...
Great to have a few come back from injury. The question is: do you put them on the paddock against NZ? Or even on the bench?
I'd be tempted to leave them out of the match day 22 if I were Deans. AAC back to 13, sure. But why mess with the combination? Palu, Kepu and Mitchell are all players you would have in your team when fully fit (well, Palu and Mitchell at least) but first game back against all conquering NZ? Nah.
Pack as per last week with the only changes being AAC for Tapuai and possibly a change for Cummins. I liked the Honey Badgers game last week - he brings some mongrel. My concern is whether NZ would target his lack of smarts when it comes to positional play. But options in this area are limited ATM
Posted 08:28 13th October 2012
tweedledee49 says...
First Sharpe delays retirement now Kepu recalled into the squad...georgesmith, i Cannot imagine how happy you must be...
Posted 07:29 13th October 2012