Nine uncapped players in Australia squad

AUSTRALIA have included nine uncapped players in a new-look 33-man squad.

New coach John Connolly retained experienced scrum-half George Gregan as captain but generally opted for youth as the Wallabies begin rebuilding for next year’s World Cup after a dismal 2005.

“I’ve said throughout that we would pick the squad on form.

“There were a few unlucky omissions but we feel that the squad we’ve selected is the strongest possible one,” said Connolly.

“It’s a young squad but there’s a good mixture of youth and experience.”

The nine rookies are Gene Fairbanks, Guy Shepherdson, Sam Norton-Knight, Wycliff Palu, Benn Robinson, Rodney Blake, Josh Valentine, Tai McIsaac and Cameron Shepherd.

Queensland scrum-half Sam Cordingley is recalled six years after his last test appearance while Matt Giteau, Bill Young, Berrick Barnes and Hugh McMeniman were all unavailable because of injury.

“You could suggest that we’ve picked a squad with a view to the future, but the supporters expect the national team to perform well in every test and rightfully so,” said Connolly.

“Our focus is on making the little steps now. If we get the little steps right, then the big step will look after itself.”

The Wallabies open their international season in Sydney on June 11 with the first of two tests against

England.

They also play a one-off match against Ireland before the expanded Tri-nations series with New Zealand and South Africa begins in July.

AUSTRALIA squad: G Gregan, A Ashley-Cooper, A Baxter, R Blake, M Chisholm, S Cordingley, R Elsom, G Fairbanks, S Fava, A Freier, M Gerrard, Daniel Heenan, G Holmes, A Kanaar, S Larkham, C Latham, T McIsaac, S Mortlock, S Norton-Knight, W Palu, J Paul, C Rathbone, B Robinson, M Rogers, N Sharpe, C Shepherd, G Shepherdson, G Smith, S Staniforth, L Tuqiri, J Valentine, D Vickerman, P Waugh.