Nine new faces in Australia squad

Australia have named a 33-man squad for the Test against England at the Telstra Stadium in Sydney on June 11.

New Wallabies coach John Connolly has included nine uncapped players in the party.

Gene Fairbanks and Guy Shepherdson from the Brumbies, Waratahs’ Sam Norton-Knight, Wycliff Palu and Benn Robinson, Queensland’s Rodney Blake and Josh Valentine and Western Force pair Tai McIsaac and Cameron Shepherd have all been called up.

“I’ve said throughout that we would pick the squad on form,” Connolly claimed. “There were a few unlucky omissions but we feel that the squad we’ve selected is the strongest possible one.

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

Connolly has also appointed two new vice-captains in Waratahs lock Dan Vickerman and Brumbies skipper Stirling Mortlock to back up captain George Gregan.

Squad: Adam Ashley-Cooper, Al Baxter, Rodney Blake, Mark Chisholm, Sam Cordingley, Rocky Elsom, Gene Fairbanks, Scott Fava, Adam Freier, Mark Gerrard, George Gregan (captain), Daniel Heenan, Greg Holmes, Alex Kanaar, Stephen Larkham, Chris Latham, Tai McIsaac, Stirling Mortlock, Sam Norton-Knight, Wycliff Palu, Jeremy Paul, Clyde Rathbone, Benn Robinson, Mat Rogers, Nathan Sharpe, Cameron Shepherd, Guy Shepherdson, George Smith, Scott Staniforth, Lote Tuqiri, Josh Valentine, Daniel Vickerman, Phil Waugh.