Baa-Baa’s bank on Tuqiri and Giteau to deliver

BARBARIANS coach Bob Dwyer yesterday gave an interesting glimpse into the future of Australian rugby by selecting Wallabies winger Lote Tuqiri at outside centre and Matt Giteau at fly-half for tomorrow’s Gartmore Challenge against New Zealand at Twickenham.

Wallabies coach Eddie Jones has always earmarked Tuqiri, the former rugby league international who has developed a reputation as one of union’s most dangerous wingers, as potentially a devastating option in the midfield.

And the versatile Giteau, who made his mark on the world game at inside centre, has been pencilled in as a long-term fly-half option for Australia ever since he made his international breakthrough two years ago.

Dwyer named nine fellow Australians in the starting XV, including Mat Rogers who will start at full-back with Chris Latham, the first-choice Wallaby number 15 at present, switching to the wing. Fijian flyer Sireli Bobo will start on the other wing.

In the pack, Dwyer named a formidable back row of Schalk Burger, Phil Waugh and Xavier Rush.

BARBARIANS: M Rogers (Australia); C Latham (Australia), L Tuqiri (Australia), M Turinui (Australia), S Bobo (Fiji); M Giteau (Australia), J Marshall (New Zealand, capt); B Young (Australia), B Cannon (Australia), F Rautenbach (South Africa), D Vickerman (Australia), A Van Den Bergh (South Africa), S Burger (South Africa), P Waugh (Australia), X Rush (New Zealand)

Replacements: G Botha (South Africa, uncapped), A Lo Cicero (Italy), AJ Venter (South Africa), R Samo (Australia), W Greef (South Africa), G Bobo (South Africa), A Tuilevo (Fiji).