Cooper returns
26 Aug 2010
Quade Cooper is the only change to the Wallabies side to face the Springboks at Loftus on Saturday.
Cooper was banned for two weeks after his dangerous tackle on Morne Steyn during Australia’s 30-13 win over the Boks in Brisbane, and subsequently missed the Wallabies’ two losses to the All Blacks. Cooper replaces centre Anthony Faainga – who drops to the bench – with Matt Giteau switching to the No 12 jersey.
Robbie Deans’ side lacked impetus and imagination with ball in hand in Christchurch where they lost 20-10 despite dominating possession, but Cooper’s return should ensure the Boks’ leaky defence is tested once again.
Cooper’s Reds team-mate Scott Higginbotham has been included on the bench for the injured Matt Hodgson. Higginbotham will win his Wallabies debut if Deans uses him, while he’ll become the 27th player introduced to Test rugby by Deans since the start of his tenure.
In the other change to the 22, Force utility forward Ben McCalman replaces Rob Simmons.
Australia – 15 Kurtley Beale, 14 James O’Connor, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Matt Giteau, 11 Drew Mitchell, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Will Genia, 8 Richard Brown, 7 David Pocock, 6 Rocky Elsom (c), 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 Dean Mumm, 3 Salesi Ma’afu, 2 Saia Faainga, 1 Benn Robinson.
Subs: 16 Stephen Moore, 17 James Slipper, 18 Ben McCalman, 19 Scott Higginbotham, 20 Luke Burgess, 21 Berrick Barnes, 22 Anthony Faainga.
51 Comments
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26 Aug 2010, 11:47 am
thieving dragon
26 Aug 2010, 11:50 am
Glad he’s playing, exciting to watch
26 Aug 2010, 11:51 am
Hougaard and Genia will be interesting, very similar players
26 Aug 2010, 11:55 am
Well we finally get to see Scotty on the field, at long last, Saia gets the start over Moore as well is probably about right, It will also good to see Anthony getting a run, he had an enourmous game against the AB’s, hard running and hit like a ton of bricks, can’ see any cover for locks but
26 Aug 2010, 11:56 am
Tough one, on the one hand a loss would do us the world of good as it would mena changes to the team. Tired players dropped/rested, players like Bismarck coming back, the senior players realising the maybe Snor had a point when he wanted a more ball-in-hand gameplan at the start of his tenure, Snor realising his selections are rubbish, Hoskins realising the assistant too are out of their league and generally the kick of the backside that has been ignored all TN.
On the other hand, Ozzies crowing.
26 Aug 2010, 12:02 pm
I imagine Higginbum is the reserve flank/lock?
I would have been really tempted to start with Faainga at 12, Giteau at 13.
26 Aug 2010, 12:08 pm
Super Duper Cooper.
26 Aug 2010, 12:10 pm
@WOLFMAN21(WOLFMAN21)-6: Yeah if I was robbie Deans I would have had:
9 Genia
10 Cooper
11 Mitchell
12 Faainga
13 Giteau
14 O’Connor
15 Ashley-Cooper
26 Aug 2010, 12:10 pm
Decent team, much as I predicted yesterday. Great to see Scotty there but he should be starting for Brown, IMO. Seems Hoggy’s injury meant a late change to the five-two split Deans was considering on the bench. Not convinced by Mumm in the engine room or Ma’afu at tighthead where Steenkamp will get some joy. Also vulnerable defensively in the 10-12 channel, where the Boks will surely attack, and far too light on the bench for my liking. But if we can match the Saffas for muscle, Pocock has another blinder as he should and the genie produces some magic from his wee bottle, we can run the bully boys ragged and have a real shot. Then again, not sure our pack is strong enough?
26 Aug 2010, 12:12 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-1: oi
Innocent as not proven guilty?
If we all applied your logic in this country then the head of state would be a raping, defrauding dragon.
26 Aug 2010, 12:15 pm
@WP_(WP_)-10: this dude was never tried in a court of law! Point is the laptops WERE missing
26 Aug 2010, 12:19 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-11: Haha I know, I’m just messing…
Maybe we dont know the full story, who paid who to drop the charges?
26 Aug 2010, 12:24 pm
@gecko(gecko)-5: Real catch 22. At least we could win either way
26 Aug 2010, 12:45 pm
@WP_(WP_)-12: Rumour is he was on sleeping pills, and mixed that with alcohol. If he was on something like Stilnox, I am surprised he didn’t freak out even more!
26 Aug 2010, 12:46 pm
Don’t worry Saffas, the Wallabies are very capable of putting a diabolical **** performance in and get wiped off the face of the earth, I’ve seen it too many times to think otherwise. Apart from that Gits might miss a potentially winning kick from right in front, like he’s never done that before
26 Aug 2010, 12:50 pm
@WOLFMAN21(WOLFMAN21)-14: A freaky cocktail. Surprised he dint fall asleep while nicking the laptops..
26 Aug 2010, 12:58 pm
@WP_(WP_)-16: That would be funny – him asleep in the drive way with a couple of laptops in his bag!
Its like those stories you hear about robbers using someones computer to access their facebook account and not logging out!
26 Aug 2010, 13:32 pm
@Bok fan(Bok fan)-3: i disagree completely with you. Genia is more ball in hand type of player and kicks much less compared to FH
26 Aug 2010, 15:26 pm
Juan to make Pocock his ***** is my prediction
26 Aug 2010, 15:27 pm
b i tch
26 Aug 2010, 15:56 pm
@Stoan(Stoan)-18: He is naturally a ball in hand type player. The coaches have told him to kick. You cant ignore their instructions!
26 Aug 2010, 17:53 pm
If we win, we win – if we lose, it’s another nail in the coffin of Snor & the 3 Stooges – so either way we win.
26 Aug 2010, 18:14 pm
@drew(drew)-22:
We have become used to losing mate! Losing becomes a habit. It is worrying us the supporters, but PdV sees positives in losing! How we have become a nation of second best. Very disappointing mate.
26 Aug 2010, 18:21 pm
@drew(drew)-22: Boks are absolutely desperate to win, NZ only just managed to hold out against that desperation but I’m not sure the Aussies will be able to.
26 Aug 2010, 18:29 pm
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-24:
Howzit Big Head hmmm I mean Big Hit. I hope you right. If we don’t win this one, then we have really sunk to the lowest of lows! What worries me is that we have the players but the combinations selected are really poor. We going to be taken to the cleaners in the loose play and I’m worried about the Oz backs too. Playing against the best 9 and 10 combo in the world too.
26 Aug 2010, 18:30 pm
2 too many too’s
26 Aug 2010, 18:36 pm
@ 23. Bill Reyts(Gumboots)Reply to this comment :
Agree with your take – however you reach a point where you realize that the only way to get back to winning is to sweep out the dead wood & start from scratch. And evidence suggests that there is no wood deader than this so-called management team. No gameplan, no logic with selections, no learning from your mistakes, no tactical expertise, no ability to adapt during a game, no clue. Oh yes, and no owning up to your errors when you f*ck up time after time after time.
So if the only way to get rid of these clowns is to endure another loss or two against the convicts, then so be it.
26 Aug 2010, 18:40 pm
@drew(drew)-27:
…and what message is being sent to the players. He keeps the dead wood as you say. Players who were pretty average to poor and then drops the players who performed. The message is:
No matter how poor you are you will be part of my team and if you perform and you were not part of my plan – you will be out. The exact reason why he won’t choose certain players as he is scared they will perform and he will have to get rid of his baggage bunch.
26 Aug 2010, 19:33 pm
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-24: “NZ only just managed to hold out against that desperation”
I am not mistaken, it was the Boks who had to repel wave after wave in the last 20 or so minutes. No wonder they had to make twice as much tackles.
Yes, NZ were somewhat fortunate to strike right on time and yes, there was a forward pass leading to Richie’s try, but you could sense in the last mins Boks were hanging on for dear life while there was not a single showing of notorious “last 20 mins syndrome at altitude” for the visitors.
Meanwhile Boks impressed me very much for the first hour. Being an opposite supporter, it was nice to silence such a gigantic crowd.
26 Aug 2010, 19:43 pm
this week was another lowlight in my watching and supporting boks since 1976…..seriously we reached a new low point with the dropping of both Aplon and Juan De Jongh and the retention of the sanctity of the Fat Boys Club.
The great pity is we are becoming ‘numb’ to such obvious injutices….we simply accept it.
Its sick what is happening in Bok rugby, disgraceful to see the absolute bullet proofness of some ‘chosen ‘ ones ….
PDV has done a deal…..and it is rotten to the core.
PDV….you have nailed your colours to the mast…..you are a Puppet….and have let the Nation down.
26 Aug 2010, 19:53 pm
Johnny Boy Smit come blow your blue horn,
The sheep’s in the meadow, the cows in the corn,
The little dog’s are lifting their legs to 100 games apiece
To see such fun as the vetgat’s running off with the wooden spoon
26 Aug 2010, 21:21 pm
Dance of the desperates.
I’m beginning to think perhaps Divvy does know what should be done but he lacks the courage to do it in the face of brainless, reactionary, implacable opposition.
But to pursue the same “game-plan” time after time is to fail (until and unless the rules are changed back).
So Divvy will get the bullet at some stage but will SARU get the message?
26 Aug 2010, 21:27 pm
@Auntie Mavis(Auntie Mavis)-32: of course pdv knows what to do…..so do 78% of bloggers on this site….
but he hasnt got the ballas….
26 Aug 2010, 21:31 pm
What’s the verdict when we win by 9 on Saturday.
Vic domiates the lineout and our scrum moers them?
Spies scores a try, saves a try and does a droppie over the posts from the 10 yard line ala Zinzan.
Rowdy Rickie eats all the oranges before half time.
Then what?
26 Aug 2010, 21:44 pm
I think I drowned out the voice of Keo with my hysterical shouting.
Sorry.
26 Aug 2010, 21:48 pm
@SodaJoe(SodaJoe)-34: more concerned about winning in 2011 in kiwiland.
vs aussies at loftus we expected to win.
its been 47 years since aussies beat us at altitude.
papering over cracks again?
Last week was a sign of where we at….NOWHEREVILLE….
time we wisened up soda….its not too late….yet!
26 Aug 2010, 21:53 pm
15. Flippie Vd Merwe
14. Danie Roussouw
13. Percy Montgomery (we need a kicker)
12. John Smit (he thought it was 2 on the back)
11. Bekker (bleddy fast)
10. Willie Wepenaar (he speaks French now)
9. Heinrich Brussouw (lekker strong around the fringes)
8. Jean De Villers
7. Jean De Jongh
6. Jean Pierewit
5. Dean Stegmann
4. Gio Aplon (sommer throw him 12 feet up in the air)
3. Rowdy Ricky (a natural prop)
2. Chiliboy (he HAS to start sometime)
1. Peter Grant ( a little tall but deserves another cap)
26 Aug 2010, 21:54 pm
@SodaJoe(SodaJoe)-37: I smaak this team.
Talent across the park. Very versatile.
26 Aug 2010, 21:55 pm
@grant10(grant10)-36: 2 games to go, then we will see what the manne do.
26 Aug 2010, 21:55 pm
@SodaJoe(SodaJoe)-37: My only worry is that we don’t have any pretty blondies in the team. Other than that very balanced.
26 Aug 2010, 21:57 pm
I think Bekker would beat Habanero in the 12m dash, could do the intercept with his lang arme en bene.
Would likely not come off his line at every opportunity.
Can wrap 2 okes up in his arms at once.
26 Aug 2010, 21:58 pm
Ok. I will stop now.
Time to have another barney about Barney.
26 Aug 2010, 22:05 pm
@SodaJoe(SodaJoe)-42: you tripping mate?
26 Aug 2010, 22:29 pm
@grant10(grant10)-43: Bud, it just got too serious for me. It’s just rugbee.
Ok, I also get the total moer in, but we can’t get too mal about this.
I think there will be some big announcements after 3N.
26 Aug 2010, 23:29 pm
@grant10(grant10)-30:
Aaah f uk bud, get off your high horse, it’s only a game of rugby FFS.
You’d think you were trying to better Martin Luther King with the way you carry on…………… jeez!!
26 Aug 2010, 23:32 pm
@SodaJoe(SodaJoe)-37: Classic. I like what you did there. We all take this far too seriously – some of us more than others (I’m looking at you in the Speedo and Shakeskiet).
27 Aug 2010, 01:09 am
Quade is f#ck’n good but has real discipline problems. We should target him with off the ball stuff, he will not be able to help himself(laptops and all) to retaliate. Hey but that requires brains which we might be lacking.
Got extra medication for this game!
27 Aug 2010, 01:13 am
@Nils(Nils)-29: think you took what I was saying a little too literally, but I do get your counter-point
@SodaJoe(SodaJoe)-34: yeah it’s funny how a few points can change perceptions so wildly, I think some coach (can’t recall who) once said, when you lose you’re never as bad as they say you are and when you win you’re never as good as they say you are.
27 Aug 2010, 02:05 am
@SodaJoe(SodaJoe)-34:
Well your last point seems like a real possibility…
27 Aug 2010, 08:31 am
@Airwell(Airwell)-19: Totally agree with you. I cant wait for the first hit on Cooper. It should be in the first minute to rattle him for the rest of the game.
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