Wallaby RWC Squad: Cheika World Cup Gamble

For the second straight Rugby World Cup, Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has taken a massive gamble by picking just two halfbacks in his squad while boom Reds back Jordan Petaia, 19, is set to become the youngest Australian to ever play at the tournament.

Cheika has followed the lead of England coach Eddie Jones by picking just two halfbacks — Will Genia and Nic White — in his 31-man squad with Brumbies No. 9 Joe Powell left out.

Talk of Will Skelton making a late comeback from England came to nothing with the giant lock not included in a squad comprised of 17 forwards and 14 backs.

The Brumbies, Rebels and Waratahs have eight players each in the squad and the Reds six.

Eighteen of the squad will be playing in their first World Cup but there are 1406 Test caps in the group — 399 more than England.

Unlike four years ago, Cheika will take three hookers to The Land of the Rising Sun with Tolu Latu and Folau Fainga’a joined by Rebels rake Jordan Uelese, who pipped veteran Tatafu Polota-Nau.

Polota-Nau will be on standby, as will Rebels forward Luke Jones who was another from the Bledisloe Cup campaign who missed selection.

Brumbies backrower Pete Samu has again been given the cold shoulder, with Jack Dempsey recovering from a shoulder injury to join Isi Naisarani and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto in the squad.

Captain Michael Hooper and former skipper David Pocock are the two openside flankers with Liam Wright, who made his Test debut at Eden Park, missing out.

There are no surprises in the tight five with the men who featured in the Bledisloe Cup retained, with Tom Robertson missing out and veteran prop Sekope Kepu providing cover on both sides of the scrum.

Petaia was set to become the third youngest Wallaby ever against Italy last year before he tweaked his hamstring on the eve of the Test in Padova.

Such is his raw talent — with two-time World Cup winner Tim Horan declaring him a future great this week — Petaia will be taken despite playing less than 100 minutes of Super Rugby in 2019 because of a Lisfranc foot injury.

Petaia can play anywhere in the back three or at outside centre.

At the other end of the experience spectrum, the 35-year-old Ashley-Cooper will become the second Australian, behind George Gregan, to play at four World Cups at the ripe old age of 35.

“We’ve become a really tight group and it was a very difficult process in picking only 31 players, but I know each player selected will travel to Japan with the full support of those teammates who won’t board the flight,” Cheika said.

“We have worked really hard at building each week and each game so far this season, and play a brand of rugby that Australia would be proud of and get every player contributing towards the outcome.

“It’s also important that we select a squad that will handle the tournament play and our draw in particular at the Rugby World Cup, as well as maintain a strong competition for places in the team.”

James O’Connor will feature in his second World Cup and cap a remarkable return after returning from the wilderness last month.

Departing Brumbies great Christian Lealiifano will play at his first World Cup, while fellow playmakers Bernard Foley and Matt To’omua have been chosen for their second.

On Tuesday, Cheika told reporters at Fox Sports’ World Cup launch in Sydney that Lealiifano had his nose in front for the No. 10 jersey despite his difficult night against the All Blacks at Eden Park.

Rebels captain and fullback Dane Haylett-Petty has squeezed out Brumbies star Tom Banks, who is desperately unfortunate to have missed out after his best season yet in Super Rugby.

The Wallabies have picked just one specialist winger in the squad in Marika Koroibete, with Reece Hodge, Haylett-Petty, Ashley-Cooper and Petaia the other options.

The Wallabies’ opener is against Fiji on September 21 in Sapporo.

A win over the Fijians would put the Wallabies in the box seat to progress out of Pool D even before their crunch group match against Wales at Tokyo Stadium on September 29.

“These next few weeks are about building and adding that little extra edge as a squad and we’ll be working hard to ma ke sure we deliver on the qualities we want people to see when we run out on the field in Japan,” Cheika said.

“We have five extra train-on members coming with us to New Caledonia and then we’ll return to take on Samoa, who we have had great clashes with in the past.”

Wallabies squad for 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan

Forwards:

1. Allan Alaalatoa (34 Tests, Brumbies, 25)*
2. Rory Arnold (22 Tests, Brumbies, 29)*
3. Adam Coleman (33 Tests, Melbourne Rebels, 28)*
4. Jack Dempsey (11 Tests, NSW Waratahs, 25)*
5. Folau Fainga’a (11 Tests, Brumbies, 24)*
6. Michael Hooper (c) (95 Tests, NSW Waratahs, 27)
7. Sekope Kepu (105 Tests, NSW Waratahs, 33)
8. Tolu Latu (15 Tests, NSW Waratahs, 26)*
9. Isi Naisarani (4 Tests, Melbourne Rebels, 24)*
10. David Pocock (77 Tests, Brumbies, 31)
11. Izack Rodda (21 Tests, Queensland Reds, 22)*
12. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto (15 Tests, Queensland Reds, 23)*
13. Rob Simmons (97 Tests, NSW Waratahs, 30)
14. Scott Sio (58 Tests, Brumbies, 27)
15. James Slipper (90 Tests, Brumbies, 30)
16. Taniela Tupou (15 Tests, Queensland Reds, 23)*
17. Jordan Uelese (3 Tests, Melbourne Rebels, 22)*

Backs:

1. Adam Ashley-Cooper (118 Tests, NSW Waratahs, 35)
2. Kurtley Beale (87 Tests, NSW Waratahs, 30)
3. Bernard Foley (69 Tests, NSW Waratahs, 29)
4. Will Genia (104 Tests, Melbourne Rebels, 31)
5. Dane Haylett-Petty (32 Tests, Melbourne Rebels, 30)*
6. Reece Hodge (37 Tests, Melbourne Rebels, 24)*
7. Samu Kerevi (29 Tests, Queensland Reds, 25)*
8. Marika Koroibete (23 Tests, Melbourne Rebels, 27)*
9. Tevita Kuridrani (60 Tests, Brumbies, 28)
10. Christian Lealiifano (22 Tests, Brumbies, 31)*
11. James O’Connor (47 Tests, Queensland Reds, 29)
12. Jordan Petaia (uncapped, Queensland Reds, 19)*
13. Matt To'omua (46 Tests, Melbourne Rebels, 29)
14. Nic White (26 Tests, Rugby Australia, 29)*

*Uncapped at a Rugby World Cup

Cannot believe that - Mozart wrote so mething I agree with,  

I miss the old Australia. It was the likes of Horan and Herbert that got me into the game. Those were good times. 

Herbert

The drug lord who came to SA and in view of potential testing he was left out of the team to play the then WP in a Super Rugby game  and replaced by a loosie in the backline?.   

Daniel Herbert. Played outside centre for Australia. Many Saffers may not know or remember who he was, but he was one part of Australia's lethal centre combo. He was the best 13 in the world during the time where Australia dominated world rugby.