Australia bring back Queenslanders to face Boks
After last weeks humiliating defeat to Samoa, Australia coach Robbie Deans has selected several of the Queensland Super Rugby winning side to run on against South Africa. Most Wallaby fans will be pleased to see the champion half back combination of Will Genia and Quade Cooper start the game.
Queensland half back pairing Quade Cooper and Will Genia start for the Wallabies against South Africa
Quade Cooper missed training yesterday with a cold, sounds like an excuse to avoid the rain to me. He was probably out picking up a TV or Computer somewhere.
Matt Giteau has been dropped from the side completely, not even making the bench. I hope this is only a rotation tactic, as I do not hold with all the criticism levelled at him for the failures of the ACT Brumbies this season and the Wallabies last week.
Also back in the run on side are star backs Kurtley Beale and James O’Connor and flanker extraordinaire David Pocock.
Stephen Moore starts the game as hooker, but Saia Fainga’a is on the bench and I am certain that they will share the game. But I am surprised that the more in form Queensland man did not get the start. His brother, Anthony Fainga’a is also on the bench and is bound to get a run on in the centre. I am surprised that Nick Phipps is the substitute scrum half, after an unimpressive game last week and to be honest for most of the Super Rugby season.
But all in all I think this side will be strong enough to beat a largely second string South Africa side, with almost all of their big names left to relax at home in early preparation for the World Cup.
The Complete line Ups for Both sides
| No. | Australia | South Africa |
| 15 | Kurtley Beale | Gio Aplon |
| 14 | James O’Connor | Lwazi Mvovo |
| 13 | Adam Ashley-Cooper | Juan de Jongh |
| 12 | Pat McCabe | Wynand Olivier |
| 11 | Digby Ioane | Bjorn Basson |
| 10 | Quade Cooper | Morne Steyn |
| 9 | Will Genia | Ruann Pienaar |
| 8 | Ben McCalman | Ashley Johnson |
| 7 | David Pocock | Danie Russouw |
| 6 | Rocky Elsom (c) | Deon Stegmann |
| 5 | James Horwill | Alistair Hargreaves |
| 4 | Rob Simmons | Flip van der Merwe |
| 3 | Ben Alexander | Werner Kruger |
| 2 | Stephen Moore | John Smit (c) |
| 1 | Sekope Kepu | Dean Greyling |
| Replacements | ||
| Saia Fainga’a, Pekahou Cowan, Nathan Sharpe, Matt Hodgson, Scott Higginbotham, Nick Phipps, Anthony Fainga’a |
Chiliboy Ralepelle, CJ van der Linde, Ryan Kankowski, Jean Deysel, Charl McLeod, Adrian Jacobs, Patrick Lambie |
Tags: Australia, australia bring back queenslanders to face boks, complete line ups, Quade Cooper, queensland super rugby, Rugby, South Africa, Super Rugby, Tri-Nations, Will Genia