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A Wallabies squad full of touching personal stories leaves the fans buzzing
Michael Cheika has named his 31-man Australia squad to go to the World Cup next month in Japan and it is loaded with interesting stories. There are players across the squad that have overcome adversity and others that have been given a chance by the head coach.
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James O’Connor has made it after his six-year exile from the national team, and after playing in the northern hemisphere with the Sale Sharks only a matter of months ago.
The 35-year-old Adam Ashley-Cooper also returns for his fourth World Cup after his Test career looked over after two seasons with Bordeaux. David Pocock, too, makes the team after missing the majority of the Super Rugby season and all of the Rugby Championship with a calf problem.
However, the most remarkable story is Christian Leali’ifano’s inclusion in the squad after overcoming leukemia in 2016. Many would have thought that his rugby career was over with such a diagnosis, but a short stint with Ulster marked his comeback before he returned with the Brumbies.
After guiding the ACT to the Super Rugby semi-finals this season calls for the 31-year-old’s return to the Test set-up intensified. What is even more impressive is that he is now heading to Japan probably as the Wallabies first choice fly-half after a decent Rugby Championship.
Lights, camera, action! Your #Wallabies squad to travel to Japan for #RWC2019!
Full squad: https://t.co/lk6t0BTQCk #BeATeammate: https://t.co/2R9ELYxtNp #GoldBlooded #TeamRugbyWorld Cup Squad Film
CD: Kannon Rajah | Film: James Joel | Edit: Alvin Dang | Assist: Chris Cao pic.twitter.com/UXuWLpOC2f— Wallabies (@wallabies) August 23, 2019
His international career will end after the World Cup, as he will move to Japan, so it will be his swansong to an incredible story.
Fans on social media are talking about Leali’ifano’s comeback story, describing it as “inspirational” as it is something that transcends rugby and is an impressive feat in any walk of life.
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Another story talked about on Twitter is uncapped 19-year-old Jordan Petaia’s rise to fame and inclusion in the squad. The centre played just two Super Rugby games in 2019 before a foot injury ended his season, but he had clearly done enough to impress Cheika after being on the European tour in 2018.
His only full 80 minutes of the season against the Highlanders in February was a breathtaking performance where the New Zealand outfit simply could not handle him. Despite missing almost the entirety of the Super Rugby season and being still without a Test cap, there is so much hype around him.
The teenager’s rise to fame is yet another compelling story in this Wallabies squad. This is what has been said:
Lealiifano’s journey – wow. Inspirational
— Philip Bredin (@philbredin) August 22, 2019
It’s one hell of a story, isn’t it. Extraordinary & inspiring
— Dominic Ward (@DominicWard14) August 23, 2019
Christian Lealiifano's story from battling cancer to the rugby world cup is a touching one…. The wallabies team.https://t.co/Eiv0q3hP4q
— Ruben Kihumuro Steyne (@kihumuroruben) August 23, 2019
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https://twitter.com/seasallen/status/1164675548326457344?s=20
Largely expected except for the teenage phenom Petaia whose got me excited. https://t.co/1iV82XdGm4
— Chippi (@getfitwchippi) August 23, 2019
Great to see Petaia included. An investment in the present and the future. AAC won’t let anybody down. His wealth of talent, knowledge and experience will be a great asset.
— Matt Ward (@mward1246) August 23, 2019
There was not a lot of hope among Wallabies fans a few months ago for their chances at the World Cup, but a dominant victory over the All Blacks two weeks ago in Perth has suddenly given a glimmer of hope for Cheika’s team.
Despite losing heavily to the All Blacks a week later at Eden Park, there were enough signs in the Championship to show that Australia can be a threat in Japan.
WATCH: Captain Michael Hooper talks after Michael Cheika announced the Australian World Cup squad
Comments on RugbyPass
In the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getitng to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
5 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
6 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
5 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
55 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
6 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
54 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
54 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
6 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
54 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
55 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
54 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
54 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
18 Go to comments