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SYDNEY (AP) — Will Genia and Quade Cooper, the halfback pairing which guided Queensland to the Super 15 championship title last weekend, have been rested from a below strength starting lineup for Australia's season-opening rugby international against Samoa.
Winger Digby Ioane, who scored a pivotal try in the 18-13 Super 15 final win over the Canterbury Crusaders, was the only Reds player selected Wednesday in the Wallabies XV for Sunday's test.
"We assessed all of the Queensland guys when they joined us on Monday and decided this was the best course for us," Wallabies coach Robbie Deans. "They've had a big workload already this year. Given that our schedule is so congested, with five test matches in seven weeks, we felt that now was realistically the only opportunity we had to give them a break."
Reds and Australian incumbent scrumhalf Genia, who scored the winning try against the Crusaders, was included on the Wallabies reserves bench along with Queensland backrowers Beau Robinson and Scott Higginbotham and hooker James Hanson.
With Reds playmaker Cooper getting the weekend off, Matt Giteau moves one spot infield to play flyhalf outside Melbourne Rebels scrumhalf Nick Phipps, who is set to make his test debut.
Phipps is one of four players who could make their test debuts against Samoa, with Waratahs lock Sitaleki Timani named in the second row and Reds pair Robinson and Hanson on the bench.
One spot on the replacements bench has been left open after prop Benn Robinson injured his knee in training, leaving room for either Pek Cowan or Al Baxter to come into the squad.
Blindside flanker Rocky Elsom will be returning from injury to lead the Wallabies in only his second high-level match since November, while other players returning include Mark Gerrard — named at fullback for his first test appearance since the 2007 Rugby world Cup — and 32-year-old, 55-test veteran lock Dan Vickerman, who was included on the bench after taking three years off to study in England.
Pat McCabe is expected to make his run-on debut at inside center, with Adam Ashley-Cooper starting outside him and utility back James O'Connor on the wing.
Matt Hodgson will also make his run-on debut as openside flanker, filling in for injured Western Force teammate David Pocock.
Samoa will arrive in Sydney later this week on the back of three matches in the Pacific Nations Cup.
"You only have to look at Samoa's results on last year's Spring tour where they drew with Scotland and ran both Ireland and England close to see how competitive they will be," Deans said. "They're a proud nation and their players will be excited, both by the prospect of playing on the big stage, but also the opportunity this match presents, both individually but also for Samoa as a team, on the way to the Rugby World Cup."
Australia has a 75 percent winning ratio at Sydney's Olympic stadium since 2000, but has lost its last three matches there — all by a single point — to New Zealand in 2009 and 2010 and England.
Australia Squad: Mark Gerrard, James O'Connor, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Pat McCabe, Digby Ioane, Matt Giteau, Nick Phipps; Ben McCalman, Matt Hodgson, Rocky Elsom (capt), Nathan Sharpe, Sitaleki Timani, Ben Alexander, Stephen Moore, Sekope Kepu. Reserves: James Hanson, TBA, Dan Vickerman, Scott Higginbotham, Beau Robinson, Will Genia, Kurtley Beale. (Reserve prop to be named.)
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Winger Digby Ioane, who scored a pivotal try in the 18-13 Super 15 final win over the Canterbury Crusaders, was the only Reds player selected Wednesday in the Wallabies XV for Sunday's test.
"We assessed all of the Queensland guys when they joined us on Monday and decided this was the best course for us," Wallabies coach Robbie Deans. "They've had a big workload already this year. Given that our schedule is so congested, with five test matches in seven weeks, we felt that now was realistically the only opportunity we had to give them a break."
Reds and Australian incumbent scrumhalf Genia, who scored the winning try against the Crusaders, was included on the Wallabies reserves bench along with Queensland backrowers Beau Robinson and Scott Higginbotham and hooker James Hanson.
With Reds playmaker Cooper getting the weekend off, Matt Giteau moves one spot infield to play flyhalf outside Melbourne Rebels scrumhalf Nick Phipps, who is set to make his test debut.
Phipps is one of four players who could make their test debuts against Samoa, with Waratahs lock Sitaleki Timani named in the second row and Reds pair Robinson and Hanson on the bench.
One spot on the replacements bench has been left open after prop Benn Robinson injured his knee in training, leaving room for either Pek Cowan or Al Baxter to come into the squad.
Blindside flanker Rocky Elsom will be returning from injury to lead the Wallabies in only his second high-level match since November, while other players returning include Mark Gerrard — named at fullback for his first test appearance since the 2007 Rugby world Cup — and 32-year-old, 55-test veteran lock Dan Vickerman, who was included on the bench after taking three years off to study in England.
Pat McCabe is expected to make his run-on debut at inside center, with Adam Ashley-Cooper starting outside him and utility back James O'Connor on the wing.
Matt Hodgson will also make his run-on debut as openside flanker, filling in for injured Western Force teammate David Pocock.
Samoa will arrive in Sydney later this week on the back of three matches in the Pacific Nations Cup.
"You only have to look at Samoa's results on last year's Spring tour where they drew with Scotland and ran both Ireland and England close to see how competitive they will be," Deans said. "They're a proud nation and their players will be excited, both by the prospect of playing on the big stage, but also the opportunity this match presents, both individually but also for Samoa as a team, on the way to the Rugby World Cup."
Australia has a 75 percent winning ratio at Sydney's Olympic stadium since 2000, but has lost its last three matches there — all by a single point — to New Zealand in 2009 and 2010 and England.
Australia Squad: Mark Gerrard, James O'Connor, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Pat McCabe, Digby Ioane, Matt Giteau, Nick Phipps; Ben McCalman, Matt Hodgson, Rocky Elsom (capt), Nathan Sharpe, Sitaleki Timani, Ben Alexander, Stephen Moore, Sekope Kepu. Reserves: James Hanson, TBA, Dan Vickerman, Scott Higginbotham, Beau Robinson, Will Genia, Kurtley Beale. (Reserve prop to be named.)
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