Isi Naisarani and Tevita Kuridrani shock omissions from Dave Rennie's 44-man Wallabies squad
Dave Rennie looks intent on ushering in a new generation of Wallabies after naming just 16 of the 31 picked for last year’s World Cup in his first squad on Sunday.
The new coach included eight Super Rugby rookies but, in an expanded 44-man squad, there was no room for Jack Dempsey, Isi Naisarani or Tevita Kuridani.
No.8 Naisarani had been one of the Rebels best this season, while centre Kuridrani had been in and out of the Brumbies’ top side this season.
Dempsey is the other World Cup tourist still playing in Australia omitted, while Waratahs teammate Karmichael Hunt was another notable absence.
Retirement and player movement abroad has also contributed to the clean-out that will see 16 uncapped players compete for spots to play the All Blacks in two New Zealand Tests next month before a Rugby Championship on home soil.
Australia has stolen #TheRugbyChampionship hosting rights from under the nose of their New Zealand counterparts.https://t.co/yiEXo8acjF
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 11, 2020
The squad, so large because biosecurity measures, will prohibit any late additions, has an average age of just 24 and includes prospects like Queensland Reds No.8 Harry Wilson (20), who has shone in his first Super Rugby season.
He is one of 11 Reds selected alongside 13 from the league-leading Brumbies, 11 Waratahs and nine Rebels.
Lachie Swinton, Fraser McReight, Hunter Paisami, Pone Fa’amausili and James Ramm are other fresh faces gunning for their maiden Test cap.
Lock Rob Simmons (31) has retained his place in the side and is the only man to have played 100 Tests in the squad, while incumbent captain Michael Hooper and 96-Test prop will also face challenges from their younger squad members.
Rebels trio Matt Toomua (groin), Dane Haylett-Petty (groin) and Jordan Uelese (shoulder) have all been included as they await scans on their respective injuries suffered in Saturday’s qualifying final loss to the Reds.
The full squad will convene next Monday following the Super Rugby AU Final between the Brumbies and Queensland Reds on Saturday night.
Space has also been left for two overseas-based player s in his side not previously eligible under Rugby Australia’s qualification laws to play after a tweak to the rules last week.
“This is a really exciting day for us,” Rennie said.
“We’ve picked this squad on form and on potential and I know the whole group are chomping at the bit to get stuck in and push their case for a Wallaby jersey.
“There’s a big game to come on Saturday night down in Canberra but personally, I’m really looking forward to getting out on the grass in a week’s time to start putting in the work together.”
WALLABIES SQUAD: Jermaine Ainsley, Allan Alaalatoa, Tom Banks, Angus Bell*, Filipo Daugunu*, Pone Fa’amausili*, Folau Fainga’a, Jake Gordon, Ned Hanigan, Will Harrison*, Dane Haylett-Petty, Reece Hodge, Michael Hooper, Tom Horton*, Trevor Hosea*, Len Ikitau*, Harry Johnson-Holmes, Marika Koroibete, Noah Lolesio* , Jack Maddocks, Tate McDermott*, Fraser McReight*, James O’Connor, Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Hunter Paisami*, Jorda n Petaia, Matt Philip, Joe Powell, James Ramm*, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Pete Samu, Rob Simmons, Irae Simone*,Scott Sio, James Slipper, Lachie Swinton*,Matt To’omua,Taniela Tupou, Jordan Uelese, Rob Valetini,Nic White, Harry Wilson*, Liam Wright,Tom Wright*. (* denotes uncapped player)
– Murray Wenzel
Comments on RugbyPass
We’re building a bridge but can't agree where the river is.
2 Go to commentsfirst no arms shoulder or helmet tackle into his rib cage is going to be so very painful even to watch. go back to RU mate.
1 Go to commentsBulls by 5. Plus another 50.
3 Go to commentsJohan Goosen avatar. Cute. Surely someone at RP knows how to do a google image search?
3 Go to commentsCan’t these games play a little earlier? Asking for a friend.
3 Go to commentsIt’s impressive that we can see huge stadiums with attendance in the 40 000 to 50 000 region. It shows how popular this competition is becoming. What is even more impressive is the massive growth in broadcast viewership. The URC is one of the two best leagues in the World, the other being the Top14.
7 Go to commentsChristie is not Sottish, like the majority of the Scotland team.
2 Go to commentsHold the phone, decline over-rated. Is it a one game, dead cat bounce or the real thing? Has the Penney dropped? Stay tuned.
45 Go to commentsTotally deserved win for the Crusaders Far smarter than the Chiefs who seem to be avoiding the basics when it matters Hotham showed them what was missing and Hannah seems a real find - a tad light but that can be fixed over time
8 Go to commentsGreat insight into the performance culture with Sarries and I predict Christie will be a fixture in the Scotland team now for some time to come. However, he is slightly missing his own point around Scotland “being soft” when he cites physicality examples in defence of that slight. The issue is much closer to the example he referenced around feeling off before a game but being told “it doesn’t matter, you can still play well” by Farrell. Until Scotland can get their psyche in that square, they will carry on folding under extreme pressure…
2 Go to comments> We are having to adapt, evolve and innovate more than when we were in Super Rugby where there was only really one style that everybody had to play to gain the most success. Have = able to? Interesting what that one style might be? I thought SA sides still had bad tours now, or at least bad schedule, months away? Those extra few hours flights have to be a killer though, no surprise to see their sides doing so badly at the start of the season each year. I wouldn’t enjoy that unfairness as a supporter.
7 Go to commentsThe problem for NZ, and Aus, is they ripped up the SR model and lost a massive chunk of revenue that hasn’t been replaced. Don’t forget SA clubs went North because they were left with no choice, Argy unceremoniously binned and Japan cast adrift. Now SR wasn’t perfect, far from it, but they’ve jumped into something without an effective plan, so far, to replace what they’ve lost. The biggest revenue potential now lies in Japan but it won’t be easy or quick to unlock, they are incredibly insular in culture as a nation. In the meantime, there is a serious time bomb sitting under SH rugby and if it happens then the current financial challenges will look like a picnic. IF the Boks follow their provincial teams and head north then it’s revenue meltdown. Not guaranteed to happen but the status quo is a very odd hybrid, with the Boks pointing one way and the clubs pointing the other way. And for as long as that remains then the threat is real.
45 Go to commentsI think Etene has had some good tuition, likely while at the Warriors to be a professional that helped his rugby jump, but he was certainly thrown in the deep end way too early. Should have arguably 20 less SR caps, and therefor a way better record that he does at his age, but his development would have been fast tracked by the need to satiate his signing away from league. Again, credit to him and others that he has done it so well. Easy to fall over under that pressure in the big leagues like that but he kept at it when I myself wasn’t sure he was good enough.
1 Go to commentsAwesome story. I wonder what a bigger American (SA) scene might have mean for Brex.
1 Go to comments“Johnny McNicholl and the Crusaders” save a Penney. Who has been in camp this week and showed them how to play?
8 Go to commentsSo, reports of the Crusaders’ demise / terminal decline are perhaps just - slightly - premature/exaggerated…? 🤔 Will we see a deep-dive into that by the estimable Rugbypass scribes, and maybe one or two mea culpas? Thought not.
8 Go to comments1. The Chiefs are rudderless without DMac, which enhances his AB chances 2. Chiefs pack are powderpuffs. The hard men arent there anymore 3. They had their golden title chance last yr and wont threaten this yr. Gone in second round of playoffs.
8 Go to commentsHonestly, why did you have to publish such a foolish article the day they play us? 😂
45 Go to comments> They are not standalone entities. They are linked to an amateur association which holds the FFR licence that allows the professional side to compete in the league. That’s a great rule. This looks like the chicken or egg professional scenario. How long is it going to be before the club can break even (if that is even a thing in French rugby)? If the locals aren’t into well it would be good to se them drop to amateur level (is it that far?). Hope they can reset from this level and be more practical, there will be a time when they can rebuild (if France has there setup right).
1 Go to commentsWhat about changing the ball? To something heavier and more pointed that bounces unpredictably. Not this almost round football used these days.
35 Go to comments