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Wallabies name squad for All Blacks and Barbarians

Australia utility back Karmichael Hunt

Fit-again utility back Karmichael Hunt has been recalled to the Australia squad for the third Bledisloe Test and a clash with the Barbarians. 

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The rugby league convert missed the Rugby Championship after suffering an ankle injury which required surgery in July.

Hunt played only a half in his comeback for Brisbane City in the National Rugby Championship last weekend, but has been included in Michael Cheika’s squad to take on New Zealand at Suncorp Stadium next Saturday and the Barbarians encounter in Sydney seven days later.

Flanker Adam Korczyk, utility back Izaia Perese, lock Rory Arnold and back-rower Lopeti Timani have also been named in the squad.

Cheika has called up Jermaine Ainsley, Duncan Paia’aua and Folau Fainga’a as development players, who will be hoping to get some playing time against the Barbarians.

The Australia head coach revealed that Hunt is unlikely to feature against the world champions in Brisbane despite his recall.

“I wouldn’t expect it.” Cheika said. “We’ll see how he goes at training, how he plays this weekend in NRC and then how he goes in training.

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“In the last camp in June, he pretty much forced his way into the team. In the first week of training, I wouldn’t have had him pencilled in and he could well do that again this week. He’s probably got a bit more competition now as we’ve built the squad over the Rugby Championship.”

 

Australia squad:

Forwards: Allan Alaalatoa, Rory Arnold, Adam Coleman, Jack Dempsey, Tetera Faulkner, Ned Hanigan, Michael Hooper (captain), Sekope Kepu, Adam Korczyk, Sean McMahon, Stephen Moore, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Tom Robertson, Izack Rodda, Rob Simmons, Scott Sio, Lopeti Timani, Lukhan Tui, Jordan Uelese.

Backs: Kurtley Beale, Israel Folau, Bernard Foley, Will Genia, Reece Hodge, Karmichael Hunt, Samu Kerevi, Marika Koroibete, Tevita Kuridrani, Billy Meakes, Izaia Perese, Nick Phipps, Joe Powell, Curtis Rona, Henry Speight.

Development Group: Folau Fainga’a, Jermaine Ainsley, Duncan Paia’aua.

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SK 1 hour ago
The times are changing, and some Six Nations teams may be left behind

If you are building the same amount of rucks but kicking more is that a bad thing? Kicks are more constestable than ever, fans want to see a contest, is that a bad thing? kicks create broken field situations where counter attacks from be launched from or from which turnover ball can be exploited, attacks are more direct and swift rather than multiphase in nature, is that a bad thing? What is clear now is that a hybrid approach is needed to win matches. You can still build phases but you need to play in the right areas so you have to kick well. You also have to be prepared to play from turnover ball and transition quickly from the kick contest to attack or set your defence quickly if the aerial contest is lost. Rugby seems healthy to me. The rules at ruck time means the team in possession is favoured and its more possible than ever to play a multiphase game. At the same time kicking, set piece, kick chase and receipt seems to be more important than ever. Teams can win in so many ways with so many strategies. If anything rugby resembles footballs 4-4-2 era. Now football is all about 1 striker formations with gegenpress and transition play vs possession heavy teams, fewer shots, less direct play and crossing. Its boring and it plods along with moves starting from deep, passing goalkeepers and centre backs and less wing play. If we keep tinkering with the laws rugby will become a game with more defined styles and less variety, less ways to win effectively and less varied body types and skill sets.

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