The Australian Rugby team has won a total of two Rugby world cup titles with their latest one coming in 1999 under the captaincy of John Eales. The Wallabies will look to make amends for last year’s early exit where they lost to eventual runners up England.
The Power houses of world rugby will be coming into the tournament confident after beating an almost full strength All blacks side two weeks ago in their final Tri Nations encounter. The Aussies won the tournament after a lapse of 10 years and will carry that momentum to New Zealand.
IRB ranking: 2
Previous World Cup appearances: 6
Highest World Cup finish: Champions (1991, 1999)
Pre-tournament form chart: LWLWW
The Wallabies will be lead in by their extremely experienced Lock forward James Horwill who will be assisted by senior man Nathan Sharpe and former captain Rocky Elsom while ACT Brumbies fly half Matt Giteau does not figure. Elsom, who led the side for the past 24 internationals, keeps his place in the 30-strong squad travelling to New Zealand.
The Aussies go in with 8 players from their last RWC campaign including Horwill, Sharpe and Elson. In addition to these three, Hooker Stephen Moore, number 08 Wycliff Palu, fly half Berrick Barnes, centre Adam Ashley-Cooper and wing Drew Mitchell will bring in experience to the Wallabies squad. The Wallabies biggest strength going into this World cup will be the flair that their youthful players will provide. With an average age of 25 years and an average of 28 caps per player, they will look to inject the much needed attitude into the squad.
Robbie Dean selected his 30 man squad just before the final tri nations game and that squad is as follows;
Backs: Kurtley Beale, James O’Connor, Drew Mitchell, Digby Ioane, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Rob Horne, Pat McCabe, Anthony Faingaa, Berrick Barnes, Quade Cooper, Nick Phipps, Luke Burgess, Will Genia.
Forwards: Ben McCalman, Radike Samo, Wycliff Palu, David Pocock, Rocky Elsom, Scott Higginbotham, James Horwill (capt), Rob Simmons, Nathan Sharpe, Dan Vickerman, Ben Alexander, Sekope Kepu, James Slipper, Salesi Ma’afu, Stephen Moore, Saia Faingaa, Tatafu Polota-Nau.
In the Front row Robbie Dean will have to choose between senior hooker Stephen Moore and the youngster Saia Faingaa with Ben Alexander and Sekope Kepu the top contenders for the propping position. The two experienced men Nathan Sharpe and James Horwill being the obvious choices for the number 04 and 05 jersey. The coach has an abundance of players to select from in the third row with Radike Samo and Wycliff Palu competing for the number 08 berth with Rocky Elsom, David Pocock and Scott Higginbothom battling it out for the role of flanker.
In the back row Dean will most likely go with the Halves combination for the Reds in Will Genia at 9 and Quade Cooper at 1st 5 eight. In center field he will have to choose between Pat McCabe, Adam-Ashley Cooper and Anthony Faingaa. In the back three Kurtley Beal will be the most likey choice as Full back with James O’Conner and Digby Ioane playing on the wings.
