Below is the Australia Tri-Nations squad for the 2008 Tri-Nations. A few comments on the changes from the last few weeks:
IN
Timana Tahu - Has been impossible not to notice for Australia and brings a real different option to Barnes at 12, where I hope they aim him and his ball skills
Drew Mitchell – Can always beat at least one man and has full-back experience, which is now on short supply
Hugh McMenimen – The hype continues but I still haven’t seen what the fuss is about this year, even with the new bad boy hair do and tatts. Useful height though
OUT
Digby Ioane – I thought he looked great for Aussie A against Fiji, but Hynes has taken his chances and Turner has a boot and potential
Mark Chisholm – Officially the TFC (Thanks For Coming) award. Didn’t even get to warm the bench
Stephen Hoiles – A fancy ball player and try poacher isn’t what the Wallabies pack needs right now. Obviously didn’t impress on Saturday.
Cameron Shepherd – busted ankle
BACK FROM INJURY
Vickerman – hooray! Who goes out of the locks and how long until Vicks gets injured again?
Tatafu Palota Nau – the future.
Dunning, Tuqiri and Palu all back after a rest from last week.
QANTAS WALLABIES SQUAD FOR THE 2008 TRI-NATIONS
Ben Alexander Brum
Alistair Baxter NSW
Richard Brown WF
Matt Dunning NSW
Rocky Elsom NSW
Adam Freier NSW
James Horwill QLD
Hugh McMeniman QLD
Dean Mumm NSW
Stephen Moore QLD
Wycliff Palu NSW
Tatafu Polota-Nau NSW
Benn Robinson NSW
Nathan Sharpe WF
George Smith Brum
Phil Waugh NSW
Dan Vickerman NSW
Adam Ashley-Cooper Brum
Berrick Barnes QLD
G&GRs own Luke Burgess NSW
Sam Cordingley QLD
Ryan Cross WF
Matt Giteau WF
Peter Hynes QLD
Drew Mitchell WF
Stirling Mortlock Brum
Brett Sheehan NSW
Timana Tahu NSW
Lote Tuqiri NSW
Lachie Turner NSW
Tags: 2008, adam ashley-cooper, adam freier, australia, australia A, ben alexander, benn robinson, berrick barnes, brett sheehan, cameron shepherd, dan vickerman, dean mumm, digby ioane, drew mitchell, fiji, george smith, hugh mcmeniman, hugh mcmenimen, james horwill, lote tuqiri, luke burgess, mark chisholm, matt dunning, matt giteau, nathan sharpe, peter hynes, phil waugh, richard brown, rocky elsom, rugby, ryan cross, sam cordingley, stephen hoiles, stephen moore, stirling mortlock, team list, timana tahu, tri-nations, Wallabies
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Tahu…
Now there’s a surprise
terrible reasoning for Hoiles by Deans. We are going to need game breakers as well as braun to win the Tri-Nations
I am happy to see Tahu (game breaker) picked.
Hoiles must be pretty bewildered to get a leg up one week and cut out the next.
the best coaches in the world arn’t the best selectors, Brian Gorgian just sent the Boomers to a loss to Greece with the wrong team (no great bench players)… he’s an awesome coach, just needs to select the best team players and their not necessarily the most coach-able but in rugby the most game braking (as a-j-norman has said.
Hoiles and Gerrard and Ioanne aren’t at the moment world class, but give them a couple of games and roles and i assure you they will be the future of Australian rugby (hoiles especially now the ELVS come into play).
Cant believe he and Ioanne were axed and Gerrard wasn’t put in despite sheperds injury…
The answer seems to be anyone but Gerrard. Must be the lack of pace
Bob Dwyer said if Tahu didn’t play for the wallabies we must have a world XV backline.
He also said that Tahu should come into the team for Morti.
Although I would have thought if Morti wasn’t in the team we’d have a world XV.
Bobas – that’s a bit harsh on Morti! [also he's a Brumby - aren't they all perfect
]
Plus I thought he’d played fairly well the last couple of tests. Thank f*ck he’s not place kicking any more though. And as we all know, no-one in New Zealand seem to know how to tackle him.
I didn’t mean it that way, I meant if he was left out we must have the worlds best players in the team (and they definitely would be the worlds best players if they’re better than morti). Cos morti is perfect except for his kicking, he must be a gun kicker at training to always get the nod or something.
I was trying to be ironic saying what pretty much what Dwyer said about Tahu,
Tahu for some reason is blossoming under deans (I dunno how the media came to that conclusion after a few training runs and no tests.)
Its weird New Zealand cant tackle him, must be cos they’re afraid of him losing his skin like in that powerade commercial.
Ahhh, now I see. Couldn’t believe that you would have said that about any Brumby. Will look out for the sarcasm in the future.
Good point about the Tahu/Deans thing. Mooney must be thinking “thanks a f*cking bunch”. Those two stories mixing together are just too much temptation for the hacks at the moment though – a perfect storm for rugby journos.
Will be interesting to see how and when the honeymoon period ends….
it wasn’t sarcasm, just ambiguous.