QANTAS WALLABIES SQUAD UPDATE FOR FINAL BLEDISLOE CUP CLASH

Oct 14 • General News, International • 2411 Views • Comments Off on QANTAS WALLABIES SQUAD UPDATE FOR FINAL BLEDISLOE CUP CLASH

Updated squad for third Bledisloe Cup squad

Forwards
Allan Alaalatoa, 18 Tests, Brumbies
Rory Arnold, 15 Tests, Brumbies
Adam Coleman, 17 Tests, Western Force
Jack Dempsey, 5 Tests, NSW Waratahs
Tetera Faulkner, 3 Tests, Melbourne Rebels
Ned Hanigan, 8 Tests, NSW Waratahs
Michael Hooper (c), 74 Tests, NSW Waratahs
Sekope Kepu, 86 Tests, NSW Waratahs
Adam Korczyk*, Queensland Reds
Sean McMahon, 21 Tests, Melbourne Rebels
Stephen Moore, 124 Tests, Queensland Reds
Tatafu Polota-Nau, 77 Tests, Western Force
Tom Robertson, 14 Tests, NSW Waratahs
Izack Rodda, 4 Tests, Queensland Reds
Rob Simmons, 77 Tests, NSW Waratahs
Scott Sio, 38 Tests, Brumbies
Lopeti Timani, 9 Tests, Melbourne Rebels
Lukhan Tui, 2 Tests, Queensland Reds
Jordan Uelese, 2 Tests, Melbourne Rebels

Backs
Kurtley Beale, 66 Tests, NSW Waratahs
Israel Folau, 61 Tests, NSW Waratahs
Bernard Foley (vc), 51 Tests, NSW Waratahs
Will Genia (vc), 84 Tests, Melbourne Rebels
Reece Hodge, 19 Tests, Melbourne Rebels
Karmichael Hunt, 3 Tests, Queensland Reds
Samu Kerevi, 13 Tests, Queensland Reds
Marika Koroibete, 3 Tests, Melbourne Rebels
Tevita Kuridrani, 53 Tests, Brumbies
Billy Meakes*, Western Force
Izaia Perese*, Queensland Reds
Nick Phipps, 57 Tests, NSW Waratahs
Joe Powell, 2 Tests, Brumbies
Curtis Rona, 2 Tests, Western Force
Henry Speight, 17 Tests, Brumbies

Development Group
Folau Fainga’a*, Brumbies
Jermaine Ainsley*, Western Force
Duncan Paia’aua*, Queensland Reds
*denotes uncapped player

Cheika confirms 34-man squad for third Bledisloe Cup clash

Qantas Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has confirmed his 34-man squad for the final Bledisloe Cup clash at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Saturday October 21.

Karmichael Hunt re-joins the squad for the first time since the June Series, after proving his fitness in the National Rugby Championship last weekend for Brisbane City.

The Reds utility starred in his first three Tests in Wallaby Gold, before an ankle injury ruined his chances of playing in the Rugby Championship.

Fellow Queenslander Adam Korczyk has also forced his way into the squad following a series of strong performances in the NRC while Rory Arnold, Lopeti Timani and Izaia Perese have also re-joined the squad.

Meanwhile, Michael Cheika has also selected rookie trio Folau Fainga’a, Jermaine Ainsley and Duncan Paia’aua as a Development Group, ahead of the Wallabies clash with the Barbarians and upcoming tour of Japan and the United Kingdom.

Qantas Wallabies coach Michael Cheika said: “We’ll see how Hunt goes at training, how he plays this weekend in NRC and then how he goes in training. In the last camp in June, he pretty much forced his way into the team. He’s probably got a bit more competition now as we’ve built the squad over the Rugby Championship.

“Obviously we’ll be looking to the next game as well for some of those guys and I think Jermaine Ainsley is a player we’ve had our eye on for a while. He had an injury now he’s back playing, and will get a second game of NRC this weekend.

“With Stephen retiring at the end of the year, we’re looking at a couple of younger hookers. We’ve seen a few guys around that we like. I think Folau Fainga’a is a guy we’d like to come and have a closer look at from what he’s done in NRC. He’s gone down to the Vikings and done quite well.

“They’ve (New Zealand) had an outstanding championship. They’re going to be coming here to try and repeat the first half of game one and we’re going to have to play so much better than we’ve been playing to get up there and challenge them,” Cheika said.

The Wallabies will convene in Queensland on Sunday afternoon for a training camp on the Gold Coast.

Australia last played New Zealand in Brisbane in 2014, when they suffered a heart-breaking defeat after a try with the last play of the game.

The Wallabies failed in their quest to win the Bledisloe Cup in 2017, after two defeats in Sydney and Dunedin respectively in August.

The final Bledisloe Cup clash will be screened LIVE in High Definition and ad-break free during play on FOX SPORTS and will be available to stream via Foxtel Go (for Foxtel subscribers).

The third Bledisloe Cup match will also be screened LIVE in High Definition on TEN and WIN Network and on tenplay.com.au.