With the Australian and New Zealand teams being announced, the Aussie Robbie Deans selection policy seems pretty straight forward so far: stuff up and you go, no risks come big game time. So as per this ethos he’s made 5 changes for the Brisbane Tri-Nations decider this Saturday.
Everyone’s favourite scapegoat and mungo without a defensive clue, Timana Tahu, along with the incredible hooker who can’t throw, Polota-Nau, have both found themselves back in Sydney this weekend. Instead, Cross gets a starting run (presumably going to 13, Mortlock to 12), Moore runs on at rake and the older hand Frier rides the pine.
Dunning bends the bench and this week Nathan Sharpe promised he’d learned his lesson in the press and adds his experience back into the second row alongside Horwill. Waugh swaps with Smith and interestingly, Mumm loses out to McMenimen for the bench and Richard Brown lines up for his potential first cap.
Vickerman, Barnes and Burgess were “not considered for selection”. It sounds like Barnes’ shoulder just wasn’t going to make it and one less unknown made things easier.
These selections, along with the 5-2 bench gives an indication of where AntipoDeans thinks this game is going to be won or lost: the breakdown. With Sheehan and Mitchell being the only back cover, we need to pray Giteau doesn’t tackle with his head on Saturday.
For the All Blacks it’s an unchanged team since their last 2 tournament matches and unfortunately for the Wallabies Carter, McCaw, and Sivivatu are all fit and healthy. The ABs have gone for a 4-3 split on thier bench.
Wallabies
Adam Ashley-Cooper; Peter Hynes, Ryan Cross, Stirling Mortlock (c), Lote Tuqiri; Matt Giteau, Sam Cordingley; Wycliff Palu, George Smith, Rocky Elsom; Nathan Sharpe, James Horwill; Al Baxter, Stephen Moore, Benn Robinson. Reserves: Adam Freier, Matt Dunning, Hugh McMeniman, Phil Waugh, Richard Brown, Brett Sheehan, Drew Mitchell.
All Blecks
Mils Muliaina; Richard Kahui, Conrad Smith, Ma’a Nonu, Sitiveni Sivivatu; Dan Carter, Jimmy Cowan; Rodney So’oialo, Richie McCaw (c), Jerome Kaino; Ali Williams, Brad Thorn; Greg Somerville, Andrew Hore, Tony Woodcock. Reserves: Keven Mealamu, John Afoa/Neemia Tialata, Anthony Boric, Adam Thomson, Piri Weepu, Stephen Donald, Isaia Toeava.
Tags: adam ashley-cooper, adam freier, al baxter, All Blacks, benn robinson, brett sheehan, brisbane, drew mitchell, george smith, greg somerville, hugh mcmeniman, james horwill, lote tuqiri, ma'a nonu, matt dunning, matt giteau, nathan sharpe, peter hynes, phil waugh, richard brown, richie mccaw, robbie deans, rocky elsom, rodney so'oialo, ryan cross, sam cordingley, stephen moore, stirling mortlock, team list, tri-nations, Wallabies
Matt a.k.a Gagger or GAGR (short for GreenAndGoldRugby, not a fetish)
Matt started G&GR just before the 2007 Rugby World Cup and has been enslaved ever since. You can follow him on Twitter here http://www.twitter.com/Matt_Gagger 
Good writeup their Gagger.
Presumably Gits at 10 is plan A, hard to picture what/if plan B will be.. maybe AAC..
Scary thought, Sharpe is 14 games shy of becoming our most capped lock.
How can you fear Sharpe when Baxter is our most capped prop already.
Based on this backline we will loose, unless the forward pack plays out of its skin, which is hard when their bench is terrible.
Deans selections have been terrible, he is consistently playing some under performing players, and cutting other players that have hardly had a chance.
Gerrard and Hoiles are players that would come onto the bench and make us look like a 200% better team on paper.
And whats with AAC keeping his place over Mitchell? surely Mitchell secured his place when he offered something other than misdirected high balls… (maybe his efforts reeked of Gerrard…)
Brown on the bench, what a joke, now we have two phil waughs, i.e. two props that cant scrummage so play flanker…
And lastly, moses, george smith will play 10 is giteau is out, i was gunning for him to play 12, or at least someone who can step into number 10/12 without being flat footed.
I actually think Brown will replace Phil Waugh in no time – I think I’ve already said that here.
I agree that God knows what Gerrard has done wrong, and Mitchell – who knows, if Connolly hadn’t dropped Mitchell against England in the RWC we might still have won (that game at least)!!
The injuries are what is killing us – Vicks, Burgess, and above all Barnes.
But I think Mortlock and Cross can work well together, so who knows?