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VELOCITY SPORTS NEWS
One last chance to impress
Tuesday, 2 December, 2008
Quade Cooper will get one last chance to impress on the Australian Wallabies Spring Tour of Europe.
Coming off a sterling 78-minute effort as a replacement at inside centre in Saturday night's Test loss to Wales, he was chosen today to start at his preferred flyhalf spot in the final tour game against the Barbarians at London's Wembley Stadium on Wednesday night (Thursday night Australian time).
The match, not to be recognised as an official Test outing, which will be played at the host venue of the 2012 Olympic Games and celebrates the Olympic Gold Medal won by the Wallabies at the 1908 London Games.
Coach Robbie Deans has named a largely young side, with James O'Connor, Australia's second youngest Wallaby, to start in his first match for his country. At 18 years and 126 days, O'Connor was the second youngest player ever to play for Australia when he became Wallaby number 832 in making his Test debut against Italy at Padova last month.
The Barbarians have traditionally fielded one uncapped player in major matches, and the Wallabies have followed suit with the naming of the uncapped Brumbies lock Peter Kimlin among the run on reserves.
A replacement for injured Queensland second rower James Horwill from the original touring party, Kimlin will play his first, albeit non-cap, match for the Wallabies if called into the action at Wembley.
Waratahs halfback Brett Sheehan also gains his first appearance of the tour as Deans fulfils his promise to give every member of the Spring Tour squad playing time.
The pair are among 10 players not required for last weekend's 18-21 loss against Wales at Cardiff who will front in the match night squad against the Barbarians.
In the absence of injured tour skipper Stirling Mortlock, the Wallabies will be led by flanker George Smith. Smith, who finished last Saturday's match as the Wallabies' on-field captain and deputized for an unavailable Mortlock in July when Australia won the opening Bledisloe Cup Test of the year against the All Blacks at Sydney.
Mortlock (head knock) and fellow senior players; Matt Giteau (shoulder and ankle injuries) and Nathan Sharpe (fractured thumb), were not considered for selection due to injury. Deans has also opted to share the work load by omitting hooker Stephen Moore, winger Peter Hynes and props Al Baxter and Benn Robinson, who have all had a busy year in the Wallaby jersey.
Giteau and Moore were the only two players who featured in all 14 Tests played by the Wallabies in 2008, while Mortlock, Baxter and Hynes missed just one match each.
Winger Lote Tuqiri, who replaced Hynes after 33 minutes at the Millennium Stadium last weekend, makes his long awaited return to the starting XV after working his way back to full fitness following knee surgery at the conclusion of the Tri-Nations.
The Wallabies team is:- 15. James O'Connor, 14. Lote Tuqiri, 13. Ryan Cross, 12. Adam Ashley-Cooper, 11. Digby Ioane, 10. Quade Cooper, 9. Brett Sheehan (NSW Waratahs), 8. Richard Brown, 7. George Smith (captain), 6. Dean Mumm, 5. Hugh McMeniman, 4. Mark Chisholm, 3. Matt Dunning, 2. Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1. Sekope Kepu. Replacements: 16. Adam Freier, 17. Ben Alexander, 18. Peter Kimlin, 19. David Pocock, 20. Luke Burgess, 21. Lachie Turner, 22. Drew Mitchell.
Former Wallabies captain George Gregan and Reds prop Rodney Blake have been named on the bench for a Barbarians side dominated by South Africans.
The Barbarians side is:- Percy Montgomery, Joe Rokocoko, Rico Gear, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana, Francois Steyn, Fourie du Preez, Richie McCaw, Schalk Burger, Jerry Collins, Johann Muller, Bakkies Botha, Census Johnson, John Smit (capt), Federico Pucciarello. Res: Mark Regan, Rodney Blake, Chris Jack, Nick Koster, George Gregan, Ollie Smith, Shane Williams..