Wallabies name an experienced squad for European tour

WALLABIES coach John Connolly have named a 37-man squad for next month’s four-test tour of Italy, Britain and Ireland.

The squad features nine new inclusions, including the return of experienced campaigners Brendan Cannon, David Lyons and Morgan Turinui.

Both Cannon and Lyons return to the Wallabies after overcoming injuries which kept them out of contention for a place in this year’s winter test squad, while Turinui earns a re-call to the national squad after playing all 13 tests for the Wallabies in 2005.

With a combined 100 tests between them, the experienced trio joins relative test newcomers Al Campbell, Stephen Hoiles, Hugh McMeniman, Stephen Moore and Tatafu Polota-Nau, who have been called in from outside the squad for the for the 2006 Bundaberg Rum Rugby Series.

Brumbies backs Adam Ashley-Cooper and Gene Fairbanks will make their first tour with the Wallabies, while Fairbanks and Queensland lock James Horwill are the squad’s two uncapped players.

Stirling Mortlock will captain the team in the absence of regular skipper George Gregan, who is undertaking a physical fitness programme ahead of the World Cup.

Connolly has named four vice captains for the seven-match tour, including regular deputy Dan Vickerman and fellow forward Phil Waugh, along with backs Chris Latham and Stephen Larkham.

Connolly said that while he continues to keep one eye on the future in the build up to the 2007 Rugby World Cup, the aim for the tour is to win test matches.

“We’ve picked the squad on form but we’ve also made some selections with a view to the future,” said Connolly.

“It’s important that we continue to broaden the squad in the lead up to the World Cup but we are going (on the tour) with the expectation to win all four tests,” he added.

Connolly said that the return of some experienced stars has given the squad a strong balance.

“We’ve maintained a pretty good balance between younger players and experienced players for the tour,” said Connolly.

“A number of selections were very tight and there are a handful of players that were extremely unlucky to miss out, but we feel that the 37 we have selected will give us the best chance to be successful on the tour as well as continuing our aim of broadening the player depth in Australian rugby,” he said.

Wallaby squad: Squad: A. Ashley-Cooper, A. Baxter, R. Blake, A. Campbell, B. Cannon, M. Chisholm, S. Cordingley, R. Elsom, G. Fairbanks, M. Gerrard, M. Giteau, S. Hoiles, G. Holmes, J. Horwill, S. Larkham, C. Latham, D. Lyons, T. McIsaac, H. McMeniman, D. Mitchell, S. Moore, S. Mortlock, W. Palu, T. Polota-Nau, C. Rathbone, B. Robinson, M. Rogers, N. Sharpe, B. Sheehan, C. Shepherd, G. Shepherdson, G. Smith, S. Staniforth, L. Tuqiri, M. Turinui, D. Vickerman, P. Waugh.

Tour Schedule

Nov 1st: Ospreys v Australia A, Swansea, 7.30pm; Nov 4th: Wales v Australia, Cardiff, 2.30pm; Nov 11th: Italy v Australia, Rome, 3pm; Wed Nov 15th: Ireland A v Australia A, Thomond Park, time tbc; Sun Nov 19th: Ireland v Australia, Lansdowne Road, 4pm; Nov 21st: Scotland A v Australia A, McDiarmuid Park, Perth; Nov 25th: Scotland v Australia, Murrayfield, 2.30pm.