Quantas Wallabies confirm bench for All Blacks

Aug 14 • General News, International, The Rugby Championship • 1515 Views • Comments Off on Quantas Wallabies confirm bench for All Blacks

The Qantas Wallabies have finalised their 23-man line-up for Saturday night’s opening Castrol EDGE Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup clash against New Zealand at ANZ Stadium.

Head Coach Ewen McKenzie initially announced an extended nine-man bench on Tuesday, choosing to wait until later in the week to finalise his exact line-up.

The Qantas Wallabies have gone with a traditional 5-3 split on the bench with hooker James Hanson, props Ben Alexander and Pek Cowan; lock Will Skelton and backrower Scott Higginbotham covering the forwards.

The three backline replacements are scrumhalf Nick Phipps, flyhalf Bernard Foley and outside back Tevita Kuridrani.

The Qantas Wallabies side to play New Zealand in the opening 2014 Castrol EDGE Rugby Championship clash at ANZ Stadium on Saturday 16 August is:

1. James Slipper (vc – Queensland Reds)

2. Nathan Charles (Western Force)

3. Sekope Kepu (NSW Waratahs)

4. Sam Carter (ACT Brumbies)

5. Rob Simmons (Queensland Reds)

6. Scott Fardy (ACT Brumbies)

7. Michael Hooper (c – NSW Waratahs)

8. Wycliff Palu (NSW Waratahs)

9. Nic White (ACT Brumbies)

10. Kurtley Beale (NSW Waratahs)

11. Rob Horne (NSW Waratahs)

12. Matt Toomua (ACT Brumbies)

13. Adam Ashley-Cooper (vc – NSW Waratahs)

14. Pat McCabe (ACT Brumbies)

15. Israel Folau (NSW Waratahs)

Reserves*
16. James Hanson (Queensland Reds)
17. Pek Cowan (Western Force)
18. Ben Alexander (ACT Brumbies)
19. Will Skelton (NSW Waratahs)
20. Scott Higginbotham (Melbourne Rebels)
21. Nick Phipps (NSW Waratahs)
22. Bernard Foley (NSW Waratahs)
23. Tevita Kuridrani (ACT Brumbies)

24th man – Ben McCalman (Western Force)