Australia lists 22-member roster for opening match against Italy - Rugby News
Australia has enlisted their 22-member crew for the Rugby World Cup 2011 opener against Italy to be played on September 11 in Auckland. Wallabies coach, Robbie Deans, named the campaign opening squad on September 6 and made a surprise decision of benching
James O’Connor from the very first match.
The coach will start with the Tri-Nations Cup winning side, which outclassed the All Blacks in the final last month. Robbie Deans told the media that he is quite confident of gaining good results from the Tri-Nations winning combination.
James O’Connor, the utility back for the Wallabies, will have to wait for a starting role until Deans is satisfied with his disciplinary issues. O’Connor was banned by Australian Rugby Union for one match after disgracing his team’s decorum and missing the
final of the Tri-Nations Cup 2011 against the All Blacks.
O’Connor enjoyed a good reputation before the particular incident and was considered one of the key players on the Aussie side. O’Connor has played 27 International games for the Wallabies and earned 119 points for his team with the help of 10 tries.
Talking about the inspiring young man, O’Connor, Deans said that, “He (O'Connor) wasn't available to us in the last instance, he is on this occasion and he has been selected on the bench which is one step closer.”
While addressing the media about other players, Deans said that, “It's like injuries and a lot of time is spent talking about players who are not available to you but the game is not about that, it's about the people who are available to you and those lucky
enough to get the opportunity.”
Australia will enter the field with following players in their first match of Rugby World Cup 2011.
Australia: 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 13 Anthony Fainga'a, 12 Pat McCabe, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Radike Samo, 7 David Pocock, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 James Horwill (c), 4 Dan Vickerman, 3 Ben Alexander, 2
Stephen Moore, 1 Sekope Kepu.
Replacements: 16 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17 James Slipper, 18 Rob Simmons, 19 Ben McCalman, 20 Scott Higginbotham, 21 Luke Burgess, 22 James O'Connor.
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