David Shillington makes his return to Australia after cannonball tackle episode
Australia confirmed on Saturday, November 5, that David Shillington will be back in the Australian line-up after passing fitness test for the second leg of the double-header game of the Gillette Four Nations Series.
The first leg of the double-header will showcase New Zealand taking on Wales whereas the second game will feature England in contention with the Kangaroos. So far, Australia are considered the series’ favourites, after they overwhelmed Kiwis, with a 26-12
win, in their last weekend game.
David Shillington was not named in the 19-man squad released by Australian coach, Tim Sheens, on Thursday, because of the ankle injury he had sustained last weekend because of the dangerous cannonball tackle by Issac Luke.
Luke was so hard on the Australian prop that the victim was left writhing in pain on field after the controversial tackle, which was initially neglected by Phil Bentham, the referee of that game. However, the matter was taken up by the match review panel,
who had issued a caution statement to shun further occurrence of such tackles. The decision was condemned by Australian quarters. Sheens specifically was angry at the negligence shown by the on-field referee, who did not report the case for revision to the
authorities.
Shillington was initially not included amongst the final pick released by Sheens but later the 28-year-old passed the thorough fitness test, to book his spot in the Saturday’s game.
According to sources, the fitness test was actually passed on Friday, during the captain’s training run at Wembley. Against expectations, the prop survived the test and has now made into the seven-man pick by Sheens, from where the coach will select his
four substitutes for the Saturday’s showdown.
Australian side will tread deeper into the series, having the following players on board: B Slater and C Smith of Melbourne, A Uate of Newcastle, C Lawrence of Wests Tigers, G Inglis of South Sydney, D Boyd of St George Illawarra, S Thaiday and D Lockyer
of Brisbane, J Thurston and Scott of North Queensland, P Gallen of Cronulla, L Lewis of Penrith and A Watmough of Manly.
Substitutes will be drawn out from; C Cronk of Melbourne, K Galloway and R Farrar of Wests Tigers, C Parker of Brisbane, T Williams of Manly, B Scott of St George Illawarra and D Shillington of Canberra.
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