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Dave Rennie names Wallabies squad for January training camp

By Ned Lester
(Photo By Harry Murphy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

Wallabies coach Dave Rennie has named a 44-man squad for next week’s four-day training camp that will take place on the Gold Coast.

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The big talking points from the squad are the inclusion of the currently ineligible dynamic loose forward Charlie Gamble, who becomes available for Wallaby selection in April, injured stars Quade Cooper and Samu Kerevi will attend as well as the return from injury of Izack Rodda and Kurtley Beale from Europe.

The camp emphasises the load of preparation that teams will be undergoing in this World Cup year. Ian Foster recently announced that the All Blacks will convene for a camp at the end of January for a thorough review, the first time an All Black camp has been held at that time.

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Rennie’s squad are reportedly in for a combination of on and off-field elements designed to prepare the squad for the 2023 season and of ultimately the World Cup.

Players and coaches in the side may also be hoping for the camp to provide some answers from the investigation into last year’s dramatic injury toll, as Rugby Australia promised an inquiry.

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Wallabies coach Dave Rennie said: “What’s exciting for us is that over the past three years we’ve created genuine depth and competition of places.”

“Of the 44 players, all bar two have worn the gold jersey over the past three years and there’s also several fringe players who still have an opportunity to force their way into the next camp through strong Super Rugby form.

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“We’ll use the four days to make sure all players head back to their franchises with a clear understanding on what will give them the best chance of representing their country in a World Cup year.”

Here is the full 44-man squad with age, club and caps.

Props

Allan Alaalatoa (28, ACT Brumbies, 64 Tests)

Angus Bell (22, NSW Waratahs, 20 Tests)

Matt Gibbon (27, Melbourne Rebels, 5 Tests)

Tom Robertson (28, Western Force, 31 Tests)

James Slipper (33, ACT Brumbies, 127 Tests)

Sam Talakai (31, Melbourne Rebels, 1 Test)

Taniela Tupou (26, Queensland Reds, 47 Tests)

Hookers

Folau Fainga’a (27, Western Force, 38 Tests)

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Lachlan Lonergan (23, ACT Brumbies, 8 Tests)

David Porecki (30, NSW Waratahs, 10 Tests)

Locks

Nick Frost (23, ACT Brumbies, 9 Tests)

Cadeyrn Neville (34, ACT Brumbies, 8 Tests)

Matt Philip (28, Melbourne Rebels, 27 Tests)

Izack Rodda (26, Western Force, 34 Tests)

Darcy Swain (25, ACT Brumbies, 17 Tests)

Loose Forwards

Charlie Gamble (26, NSW Waratahs, uncapped)

Langi Gleeson (21, NSW Waratahs, 3 Tests)

Ned Hanigan (27, NSW Waratahs, 28 Tests)

Jed Holloway (30, NSW Waratahs, 10 Tests)

Michael Hooper (31, NSW Waratahs, 124 Tests)

Rob Leota (25, Melbourne Rebels, 13 Tests)

Fraser McReight (23, Queensland Reds, 10 Tests)

Pete Samu (31, ACT Brumbies, 32 Tests)

Rob Valetini (24, ACT Brumbies, 30 Tests)

Harry Wilson (23, Queensland Reds, 12 Tests)

Scrumhalves

Jake Gordon (29, NSW Waratahs, 20 Tests)

Ryan Lonergan (24, ACT Brumbies, uncapped)

Tate McDermott (24, Queensland Reds, 21 Tests)

Nic White (32, ACT Brumbies, 59 Tests)

Flyhalves

Quade Cooper (34, Kintetsu Liners, 76 Tests)

Ben Donaldson (23, NSW Waratahs, 2 Tests)

Noah Lolesio (23, ACT Brumbies, 17 Tests)

Centres

Lalakai Foketi (28, NSW Waratahs, 5 Tests)

Len Ikitau (24, ACT Brumbies, 26 Tests)

Hunter Paisami (24, Queensland Reds, 24 Tests)

Izaia Perese (25, NSW Waratahs, 3 Tests)

Samu Kerevi (29, Suntory Sungoliath, 41 Tests)

Outside Backs

Kurtley Beale (33, NSW Waratahs, 95 Tests)

Jock Campbell (27, Queensland Reds, 4 Tests)

Reece Hodge (28, Melbourne Rebels, 62 Tests)

Andrew Kellaway (27, Melbourne Rebels, 21 Tests)

Mark Nawaqanitawase (22, NSW Waratahs, 3 Tests)

Jordan Petaia (22, Queensland Reds, 25 Tests)

Tom Wright (25, ACT Brumbies, 23 Tests)

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J
Jon 6 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

35 Go to comments
j
john 9 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

36 Go to comments
A
Adrian 11 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

36 Go to comments
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