Deans Bolsters Team
Australian rugby coach, Robbie Deans, has added strength and experience to his side for the Tri Nations by bringing back two popular players.
Benn Robinson and Stephen Moore have been missing from the Wallabies for the last few weeks due to injury. However, they will now come back into the side, as the Australian team has been calling out for leaders and players with a presence ahead of the Tri Nations.
This is one of the very few Tri Nations events in history where the Wallabies have gone into the tournament as the ranked outsiders. South Africa and New Zealand have the edge in terms of quality and form and it's important for Deans to be able to call on his best players.
This news should give the whole side a lift because there are a number of benefits to the pair coming back in. However, some are arguing that it will make little difference and the young players, who are likely to make way for the pair, have spared themselves from a massacre.
Benefits
Both of these players will go into the front row of the team. This means they will be at the heart of the attacking play and they will be two of the first players that any side sees rushing towards them. Both players are big and physically imposing and this could create a few intimidating scenes for Australia's opponents.
They are popular players among the Wallabies squad and have been missed over recent times. It was clear how much their presence was needed during England's tour, so their inclusion in the Tri Nations should give the whole side a lift. This will lead to all players playing sharper and happier.
These players will inject some much needed experience into the side. This experience can be used to help the team because it should stop any bad decisions from developing, which create mistakes and chances for the opposition to romp forward and score.
Danger
Some are already arguing that the inclusion of these players will make little difference to the ultimate result of the Tri Nations. South Africa and New Zealand do have the edge over the Aussies at the moment and the re-introduction of two players is not going cancel out this edge.
The problem for Australia is that both of their opponents have experienced players that can pass and move the ball quickly. The Aussies have a few young players who are not the most disciplined of individuals. When they see the ball flying around in front of them, they will often break ranks to try and win the ball back.
This creates huge holes in the Australian defence. Any side with a bit of attacking intelligence will know that if you can get the ball into an area where these gaps are developing then a quick player can race through and score a try, which leads to a conversion, which results in a healthy lead.
Betting Advice
Take this news with a pinch of salt because although it will have some impact on the way Australia plays, the impact will be limited. South Africa and New Zealand will still be the favourites for any match against Australia.
Your best option if you're unsure is to bet in-play and wait until the match starts before making any decisions. This will let you see whether the Aussies are going to shape up nicely. Alarm bells could start ringing if they're on the back foot from the beginning. From here you can make a more calculated bet, which will prevent you from wasting money.
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