Michael Cheika has unveiled his 31-man squad for the upcoming Rugby World Cup, with Matt Giteau completing his resurgence in the green and gold with a place on the plane to London, while Stephen Moore has been named captain. Adam Ashley-Cooper and Michael Hooper will serve as Moore’s deputies, while Cheika favourites, Israel Folau, Quade Cooper, David Pocock and James Slipper have all made the cut.
There was however no place for former Wallabies captain James Horwill, who’s been out of favour since Cheika took the reins as coach last year, and is one of two major omissions from the final 31-man team. Horwill led the team at the last World Cup in New Zealand, but will have to make do with a view from the stands with Cheika preferring Dean Mumm and Will Skelton at lock.
Horwill’s disappointment is perhaps equalled by alternate half-back Nic White, who was the match-winning reserve in the Wallabies’ Bledisloe Cup Test win in Sydney earlier this month and who started in the return 41-13 loss to the All Blacks in Auckland.
However White has been overlooked, with Cheika instead opting for two specialist halfbacks in Nick Phipps and Will Genia, while utility Giteau will serve as back up if required at the global showpiece in Britain starting next month.
In all the squad retains plenty of experience, more than 1200 caps between the 31-man squad, but Cheika has also included 13 World Cup debutants, and one player, in prop Toby Smith who is uncapped. Speaking in front of a Qantas hangar at Sydney Airport, Cheika said the squad’s final selection came down to picking a balanced 31-man squad that could perform on multiple fronts, but was sympathetic to those that had missed out.
“We’re 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 England with the full support of those team mates who won’t board the flight.
“Our primary focus throughout the Super Rugby competition, The Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup was to select a balanced squad between youth, experience and form and this squad certainly delivers on this. “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.”
The Wallabies will begin their final preparations for the World Cup with a series of camps in Sydney, Indiana and Bath. An additional 10 players have been named to join the squad until the time the trimmed 31-man squad departs for England on September 13.
The team will then play their first game of the tournament on September 23 against Fiji.
Final Wallabies Squad for Rugby World Cup 2015
Wallabies Forwards
Stephen Moore - C (96 Tests), Tatafu Polota-Nau (53 Tests), Greg Holmes (17 Tests), Sekope Kepu (56 Tests), Scott Sio (9 Tests), James Slipper (66 Tests), Toby Smith (uncapped), Kane Douglas (15 Tests), Dean Mumm (36 Tests), Rob Simmons (52 Tests), Will Skelton (11 Tests), Scott Fardy (24 Tests), Michael Hooper - VC (45 Tests), Ben McCalman (40 Tests), Sean McMahon (3 Tests), Wycliff Palu (55 Tests) and David Pocock (50 Tests)
Wallabies Backs
Will Genia (59 Tests), Nick Phipps (31 Tests), Quade Cooper (55 Tests), Bernard Foley (17 Tests), Kurtley Beale (52 Tests), Matt Giteau (95 Tests), Matt Toomua (25 Tests), Adam Ashley-Cooper - VC (108 Tests), Israel Folau (33 Tests), Rob Horne (26 Tests), Drew Mitchell (65 Tests), Henry Speight (3 Tests), Joe Tomane (15 Tests) and Tevita Kuridrani (24 Tests).
