SA Under-20 JWC 2012 Squad confirmed

SA Under 20 coach Dawie Theron has confirmed the inclusion of flyhalf Handrè Pollard, winger Raymond Rhule and scrumhalf Vian van der Watt to the final squad of the Junior Springboks that will contest the IRB Junior World Championship 2012 to be held in South Africa from 4 to 22 June 2012.

Pollard, from Paarl Gymnasium will replace Johan Goosen (shoulder injury) and Golden Lions player Van der Watt comes in for Kevin Luiters (knee injury). Free Stater Rhule replaces Dean Hammond, who pulled a hamstring last week.

All three players slotted in well during the Junior Springboks’ final warm-up match against Hamiltons on Tuesday.

“I am confident that all three players will do well. They are very talented and slotted in with ease since they joined us last week,” Theron said.

The final SA U20 JWC squad is:

(Backs): Marais Schmidt, Dillyn Leyds, Travis Ismaiel, Raymond Rhule, Tshotsho Mbovane, William Small-Smith, Paul Jordaan, Patrick Howard, Jan Serfontein, Tony Jantjies, Handrè Pollard, Vian van der Watt, Abrie Griesel.

(Forwards): Wiaan Liebenberg (c), Shaun Adendorff, Khaya Majola, Braam Steyn, Fabian Booysen, Pieter Steph du Toit, Ruan Botha, Paul Willemse, Marvin Orie, Maks van Dyk, Allan Dell, Oliver Kebble, Steven Kitshoff, Mark Pretorius, Jason Thomas.

Thirty nine players have today been named for the Qantas Wallabies train on squad ahead of the 2012 international season.

Qantas Wallabies Train On Squad Announced

Thirty nine players have today been named for the Qantas Wallabies train on squad ahead of the 2012 international season.

The Queensland Reds and Western Force members of the squad have assembled in Sydney this evening. They will be joined midweek by players from the other franchises, who will spend Wednesday with the national side before returning to their respective state sides to prepare for the upcoming Fx Pro Super Rugby round.

Qantas Wallabies coach Robbie Deans appreciates the assistance the franchises have provided, in releasing the players, in order that they can get some background ahead of the full squad assembly on Sunday June 3.

“The cooperation of the franchises has been considerable and we appreciate that,” Deans says.

“We’ve obviously sought to have as little disruption to their campaigns as is possible, but the solution provided by utilising the training day off does at least allow us to get the players started – both with organisational logistics and training background – as we will have to hit the ground running once the final group gathers.”

Deans and his fellow selectors, coaching coordinator Tony McGahan and David Nucifora; will name the match night squad to play the Castrol EDGE Rugby International against Scotland on June 3.

That is just 48 hours before the historic match, which will represent the first Test match to have been held at Newcastle.

Although acknowledging that it will be a tight preparation, Deans says delaying the naming until after the final match featuring Australian participation in the weekend’s Super Rugby round had concluded; was imperative.

“We can’t finalise a side for that match until all of the games are played, and we are in a position to assess all of the players,” Deans says.

“Obviously we have preliminary ideas but the selection template is a living document. It can, and probably will change, as a result of events through the final round of Super Rugby before the international break.”

The manner in which selection plans can be disrupted was evidenced last evening with the hamstring injury suffered by Qantas Wallabies skipper James Horwill.

Although Horwill has assembled in Sydney and will have scans tomorrow, it is expected that he will be ruled out of the June Tests meaning that the Qantas Wallabies will have a new captain for those matches.

Flyhalf Kurtley Beale is also potentially in doubt after injuring his shoulder playing for the Melbourne Rebels in Wellington last night.

Beale had scans this evening, and while he has still been selected, a time-scale as to when he can return to training and play is still to be determined.

The injury cloud over Beale, and the existing injury which has sidelined James O’Connor, has resulted in the selection of Quade Cooper, even though the Queensland Reds flyhalf has had just 120 minutes of playing time in his comeback from the knee ligaments he ruptured at last year’s Rugby World Cup.

While acknowledging that Cooper was short of match play, Deans says that calling him into training with the national squad will help assist with bringing him up to speed for a return to a Test arena.

As well as the match night twenty-two for the Scotland Test, the remainder of the Qantas Wallabies squad that will train ahead of the Castrol EDGE Wales Tour will also be confirmed next Sunday, although the exact size of that group, and how many of the players will depart after the Scotland Test, won’t be confirmed until after that Test has been played.

“We are effectively having to select two combinations at the same time, as the first Castrol EDGE Wales Tour Test in Brisbane follows just four days after the game in Newcastle, so we need to have an up-to-date picture before we complete that process,” Deans says.

Fifteen of the players named tonight are yet to represent Australia in a Test match.

The state representation within the training squad is as follows –

Queensland Reds 11 players, NSW Waratahs 11, Brumbies eight, Melbourne Rebels five and Western Force four.

The Qantas Wallabies train on squad is:

Player Position State Age Appearances

Ben Alexander	Prop	Brumbies	27	36
Adam Ashley-Cooper	Fullback-Wing-Outside Centre	NSW Waratahs	28	64
Berrick Barnes	Flyhalf/Inside Centre	NSW Waratahs	26	37
Kurtley Beale	Fullback	Melbourne Rebels	23	24
Quade Cooper	Flyhalf	Queensland Reds	23	35
Dave Dennis	Loose Forward	NSW Waratahs	26	Uncapped
Kane Douglas	Lock	NSW Waratahs	22	Uncapped
Anthony Faingaa	Inside Centre	Queensland Reds	25	14
Saia Faingaa	Hooker	Queensland Reds	25	16
Bernard Foley	Flyhalf/Fullback	NSW Waratahs	22	Uncapped
Will Genia	Halfback	Queensland Reds	24	34
Michael Harris	Inside Centre	Queensland Reds	23	Uncapped
Scott Higginbotham	Loose forward	Queensland Reds	25	11
Michael Hooper	Flanker	Brumbies	20	Uncapped
Rob Horne	Centre	NSW Waratahs	22	9
Digby Ioane	Wing	Queensland Reds	26	21
Sekope Kepu	Prop	NSW Waratahs	26	14
Salesi Ma’afu	Prop	Western Force	29	14
Pat McCabe	Inside Centre	Brumbies	24	11
Ben McCalman	Loose Forward	Western Force	24	21
Jesse Mogg	Fullback	Brumbies	22	Uncapped
Stephen Moore	Hooker	Brumbies	29	66
Luke Morahan	Fullback	Queensland Reds	22	Uncapped
Cadeyrn Neville	Lock	Melbourne Rebels	23	Uncapped
Dan Palmer	Prop	Brumbies	23	Uncapped
Wycliff Palu	No 8	NSW Waratahs	29	38
Nick Phipps	Halfback	Melbourne Rebels	23	3
David Pocock	Flanker	Western Force	24	40
Tatafu Polota Nau	Hooker	NSW Waratahs	26	32
Hugh Pyle	Lock	Melbourne Rebels	22	Uncapped
Benn Robinson	Prop	NSW Waratahs	27	42
Nathan Sharpe	Lock	Western Force	34	101
Dominic Shipperley	Wing	Queensland Reds	21	Uncapped
Rob Simmons	Lock	Queensland Reds	23	16
James Slipper	Prop	Queensland Reds	22	22
Sitaleki Timani	Lock	NSW Waratahs	25	1
Joseph Tomane	Wing	Brumbies	22	Uncapped
Cooper Vuna	Wing	Melbourne Rebels	24	Uncapped
Nic White	Halfback	Brumbies	22	Uncapped

2012 Qantas Wallabies Coaching & Management Team

Head Coach: Robbie Deans

Coaching Coordinator: Tony McGahan*

Forwards Coach: Andrew Blades*

Coaching Assistant: Nick Scrivener*

Strength & Conditioning Coach: Ashley Jones*

Manager: Bob Egerton

Logistics Manager: Matt Sheppard*

Doctor: Dr Warren MacDonald

Physiotherapist: Andrew Ryan

Physiotherapist: Ed Fitzgerald

Analyst: Andrew Sullivan

Media Manager: Matt McILraith

*denotes new member of the management team

2012 Castrol EDGE Test Series Schedule

(all kick offs: local times)

Castrol EDGE Rugby International – Hopetoun Cup

(i) June 5: Qantas Wallabies v Scotland, Newcastle, 7.30pm

Castrol EDGE Wales Tour – James Bevan Trophy

(ii) June 9: Qantas Wallabies v Wales, Brisbane, 8pm

(iii) June 16: Qantas Wallabies v Wales, Melbourne, 8pm

(iv) June 23: Qantas Wallabies v Wales, Sydney (SFS), 3pm

The Castrol EDGE Rugby Championship

Bledisloe Cup – #1

(v) August 18: Qantas Wallabies v New Zealand, Sydney (ANZ), 8pm

August 18: South Africa v Argentina, Cape Town

Bledisloe Cup – #2

(vi) August 25: Qantas Wallabies v New Zealand, Auckland, 7.35pm

August 25: Argentina v South Africa, Mendoza

Mandela Challenge Plate – #1

(vii) September 8: Qantas Wallabies v South Africa, Perth, 6.30pm

September 8: New Zealand v Argentina, Wellington

(viii) September 15: Qantas Wallabies v Argentina, Gold Coast, 8pm

September 15: New Zealand v South Africa, Dunedin

Mandela Challenge Plate – #2

(ix) September 29: Qantas Wallabies v South Africa, Pretoria, 3pm

September 29: Argentina v New Zealand, La Plata

(x) October 6: Qantas Wallabies v Argentina, Rosario, 8pm

October 6: South Africa v New Zealand, Soweto

Castrol EDGE Bledisloe Cup Test – #3

(xi) October 20: Qantas Wallabies v New Zealand, Brisbane, 8pm

John Plumtree and a mischievious grin

On Monday, John Plumtree wore a slightly mischievious grin when he pointed out to reporters that the Stormers were firm favourites to beat the Sharks at Kings Park tomorrow, but while the Sharks coach has clearly wanted to harp on the underdog status to his charges to whip them up into battle rage, this match is actually too close for anybody to call with any great authority.

One argument is that the relentless Stormers have had their colours lowered only once this season, and that was by the Crusaders in Christchurch, and the Sharks are not good enough to emulate the seven-times champions, but another is that the Sharks are hitting their best form of the season, are getting on a role of their own, are playing at home, and need the victory more than the visitors.
Often in close matches, the team that needs it the most prevails, especially if they have home ground advantage.

A month ago, few would have picked the stuttering Sharks to win this one, but they have subsequently shifted up a gear and are gaining momentum and form at the right time of the competition.
Their three wins in a row, topped by last week’s splendid performance against the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein, has them in sixth place overall and in wild card territory for the play-offs – as long as they keep winning. And if they remain victorious over the next five rounds, they could even challenge the Stormers at the top of the SA Conference.

The Stormers, on the other hand, are eight points ahead of the Sharks and have some comfortable leeway to work with, which might not necessarily be a good thing when you are up against a team in “must-win” mode.

By the same token, the Stormers know that if they can win one of their two tough away games over the next fortnight – the Sharks tomorrow and the Bulls in Pretoria next week – they will pretty much sew up the SA Conference given their relatively easy programme after the June break, comprising of home matches against the Lions and Rebels and a tricky-ish away match against the Cheetahs, but one they should win against a tired team with nothing to play for.

All the while the Stormers have been championing structure over flamboyance in their workmanlike progression through the rank and file of Super Rugby, winning 10 of 11 games without ever tittilating their fans but at the same time never giving them too much too sweat about.

“They’ve picked up a bit of criticism recently for winning ugly,” Plumtree agreed, “but at the end of the day they’ll point at the log and they will just be focusing on what they need to do to secure a home semi-final. Sure, they’ll also be looking to improve their performances, but winning comes first. They’ve had success against us in recent Super Rugby seasons, and will come here with confidence and belief that they have the firepower to beat us, but I guess also respect of what we’ve done in recent weeks.”

Asked what the most challenging aspect is of playing the Stormers, Plumtree said: “Probably the confidence that comes from winning regularly. They’re a team that certainly knows how to win and are very tough to break down. And when you are winning week in week out, you can really focus on the details of your performances.”

The Sharks have not had the luxury of lengthy winning streaks to help them perfect their game and have been locked in dogged struggles that have mostly seen them in a pattern of undoing a hard-fought victory with a heart-breaking defeat, although they are now on their best winning sequence since narrowly going down to the Chiefs in Durban.

“At the beginning of May we spoke about the necessity of a good run of five matches and now we’ve won three of those, with two to go before the June break,” Plumtree pointed out. “The Stormers this weekend is the big one and it is getting all the hype that is deserves, so the boys are really excited about a massive fixture at Kings Park.

“I’m sure everyone will expect the Stormers to beat us and that will add a bit more flavour to it in terms of physicality, and while they seldom lose these days, we are starting to find our rhythm.
We knew at some stage we were going to come right, and it’s happening now.”

Referee: Jaco Peyper (SA)

Sharks: 15 Pat Lambie, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Paul Jordaan, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Freddie Michalak, 9 Charl McLeod, 8 Keegan Daniel (capt), 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Anton Bresler, 4 Steven Sykes, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Subs: Craig Burden, Wiehahn Herbst, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Ryan Kankowski, Jacques Botes, Odwa Ndungane, Louis Ludik.

Stormers: 15 Gio Aplon, 14 Gerhard van den Heever, 13 Juan de Jongh, 12 Jean de Villiers (capt), 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Peter Grant, 9 Dewaldt Duvenage, 8 Jebb Sinclair, 7 Rynhardt Elstadt, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Andries Bekker, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Brok Harris, 2 Tiaan Liebenberg, 1 Steven Kitshoff.
Subs: Deon Fourie, Frans Malherbe, De Kock Steenkamp, Don Armand, Nick Fenton-Wells, Louis Schreuder, Burton Francis.
by Mike Greenaway

Former Internationals to join Springbok Management

Two former Test players, Louis Koen and Pieter de Villiers, have been added to the Springbok management team as consultants for the forthcoming international season.

The appointments were approved by the Executive Council of the South African Rugby Union at a meeting in Cape Town on Thursday.

Former Test flyhalf Koen, who represented the Springboks in 15 Tests between 2000 and 2003, has been appointed as kicking consultant.

De Villiers, who was born in South Africa and played 70 Tests for France from 1999 to 2007, is the Springboks’ scrum consultant.

Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer said he was delighted to welcome Koen and De Villiers to the management team.

“They bring a wealth of knowledge in their specialist areas of kicking and scrumming, but also know and understand the rigours of Test rugby, having played at the highest level,” said Meyer.

“Collectively they have been involved in a number of Rugby World Cups and this kind of experience is something that will always be invaluable at Test level.”

Koen and De Villiers will join the Springboks at their Planning Camp in Durban on Sunday.

Final Springbok Planning Camp to be held in Durban

Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer will hold a fourth and final Planning Camp in Durban from Sunday, with 42 players across all five Vodacom Super Rugby franchises invited to attend.

This will be the final opportunity for Meyer to work with the players before the final Springbok squad to face England in the Castle Incoming Tour 2012 will converge in Durban on Sunday, 3 June.

The camp this weekend will take place on Sunday 27 and Monday 28 May. The players will depart Durban around midday on Monday and will be back with their Vodacom Super Rugby franchises for training in the afternoon.

“We discussed this with the franchise CEOs recently and they’ve been very accommodating, as they were earlier in the season,” said Meyer.

“We’ve planned it in Durban, because the DHL Stormers take on The Sharks at Mr Price Kings Park the day before and will be there already. Players from the Vodacom Bulls, MTN Lions and Toyota Cheetahs will fly in on Sunday morning.

“This is by no means a final Springbok squad and the door will be open for all our eligible players until the announcement of the squad that will take on England.

“This camp will put in place a number of the finer details in terms of what we want to achieve against England. We will hit the ground running on 3 June, when we converge in Durban for the first Test with a final squad.”

Meyer said that they will keep in touch with the Vodacom Super Rugby franchises regarding injured players, but that they weren’t considered for this camp.

Players invited to the final Springbok Planning Camp in Durban on 27 and 28 May:

Forwards (22): Coenie Oosthuizen, Tendai Mtawarira, Dean Greyling, Jannie du Plessis, Pat Cilliers, Werner Kruger, Bismarck du Plessis, Adriaan Strauss, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Flip van der Merwe, Eben Etzebeth, Andries Bekker, Juandré Kruger, Marcell Coetzee, CJ Stander, Heinrich Brüssow, Keegan Daniel, Willem Alberts, Jean Deysel, Pierre Spies, Ryan Kankowski, Josh Strauss.

Backs (20): Francois Hougaard, Jano Vermaak, Piet van Zyl, Morné Steyn, Pat Lambie, Elton Jantjies, Peter Grant, Wynand Olivier, Jean de Villiers, Juan de Jongh, JJ Engelbrecht, Bryan Habana, Bjorn Basson, JP Pietersen, Gio Aplon, Lwazi Mvovo, Akona Ndungane, Zane Kirchner, Jaco Taute, Joe Pietersen.

Peter De Villiers book comes out in June called – Politically Incorrect The Autobiography

Throughout his tenure as the first black Springbok coach, Peter de Villiers was in the news, and not always for the right reasons. His battle to be accepted and respected by the rugby fraternity started from the moment his appointment was announced, when his new boss admitted that De Villiers had got the job for reasons ‘other than only rugby’.

In his four years as Bok coach, De Villiers experienced huge successes – a series win over the British & Irish Lions and a Tri Nations trophy – but he also suffered the ignominy of coming last in the Tri Nations and seeing his World Cup dream shattered by the controversial officiating of referee Bryce Lawrence. In addition, his outspoken nature and colourful application of the metaphor alternately amused and horrified South African rugby fans, and his close relationship with his senior players begged the question: Who was coaching whom?

Now, in his autobiography, De Villiers answers this question and addresses many more: How he managed to progress from the dusty streets of Paarl as a rugby-mad youngster to the highest job in South African rugby; why his employers tried to manipulate him but failed; why he stuck with John Smit as captain in the 2011 Rugby World Cup; and where his passion for rugby will lead him next.

If rugby fans thought they knew Peter de Villiers before reading this book, they will think differently afterwards.

About the Author – Gavin Rich

Gavin Rich has been covering South African rugby for 21 years, having started his career as rugby writer for the Natal Mercury in 1991. He has covered several Springbok tours.

DHL Stormers v Waratahs Preview

If the DHL Stormers can replicate their performance from last year when their first visitors from Australia arrived in Cape Town, the Waratahs are in for a long night at DHL Newlands on Saturday.

Last year, the Force were the first Australian visitors to Newlands and they got hammered, by 51-16. The DHL Stormers have not hosted an Aussie side yet this year and they wouldn’t mind dishing out the same sort of punishment to the Waratahs.

But the teams from Perth and Sydney are vastly different, although both of them have failed to set rugby fields on fire this season. The Force got smashed in Durban last weekend and the Waratahs lost in Sydney to the Vodacom Bulls.

In fact, in 14 matches between teams from South Africa and Australia thus far this year, the Aussies have won only three – the Brumbies beat the MTN Lions and the Toyota Cheetahs and the Waratahs got the better of The Sharks.

And while they have been the most successful side this season, losing only once in their first 10 games, the DHL Stormers have struggled for consistency when scoring tries. They’ve notched up 17, with only the MTN Lions’ 15 tries less than that of the Capetonians.

This is what DHL Stormers captain Jean de Villiers had to say about the apparent try scoring drought in Cape Town: “We are conscious of the fact that winning is more important than the way that you play. A couple of years ago we would have given anything just to get a couple of wins on the trot, so I think that we are happy with where we are. We know that we are not the finished product yet.”

De Villiers also warned that the Waratahs could be a difficult opponent this weekend.

“They are not lying too good on the log so it is a bit of a must-win situation for them, but they are a quality side,” said De Villiers. “They do the basics really well, they have got a really good first-phase, a good defence and they can score tries as well.”

Head to head (since 1998)

DHL Stormers		Waratahs
8	Won	5
5	Lost	8
1	Drawn	1
306	Points for	283
283	Points against	306
31	Tries scored	29
29	Tries conceded	31

DHL Stormers v Waratahs

Date: 19 May

SA Time: 19:10

Venue: DHL Newlands, Cape Town

Referee: Craig Joubert (South Africa)

Assistant referees: Stuart Berry (South Africa), Christie du Preez (South Africa)

Television match official: Shaun Veldsman (South Africa)

Could this be the Bok team for the 1st test ?

Imagine , if you will, being Heyneke Meyer right now as he plans his campaign against the touring English next month. Plan? What really can you plan as you sit on the edge of your couch and hold thumbs while clutching lucky rabbit feet as the players you are considering for selection clobber each other into submission in the rash of local derbies that bring Super Rugby to its intermission ahead of the England tour.

We are talking about a coach who has been out of hands-on coaching for three years but has grasped the infamous Springbok coaching chalice believing that it is not always poisoned and, being a man of faith, he knows more than ever that his team to face England depends on who emerges unscathed from the three rounds of tremendously physical South African derbies this month where, to put it crudely, the players go out to “moer” each other.

The Springbok coach’s situation has always been a difficult and unique one. For three months you watch Super Rugby from your sitting room and then a week before the June international series you get the players you have been watching on TV and you have to turn them into a winning combination. And if the Springboks lose, you are a poor coach – nobody stands back and says: “this poor bloke had only a week to properly work with the players …”

All Meyer has been able to do is host planning camps during the bye weeks in the competition and it was as an exceptionally good strategy because he was at least able to convey to a broad base of players his vision for the Boks, without hammering them in training sessions when their bye week demanded that they had their feet up in rest.

As it has turned out, the length of the competition has in some ways helped Meyer because many players that were injured way back in February and March have recovered and are playing again, and just less than a month out from the first test against England in Durban, Meyer is probably only missing three or four first-choice players, but that figure could easily double over the next fortnight or so.

It would be a brave man, for instance, to bet on no serious injuries emanating from the Cheetahs versus Sharks match in Bloemfontein this weekend, and what about the Sharks-Stormers game on May 26?

This weekend, the Bulls play a tough encounter in Dunedin against the Highlanders, and what if Morne Steyn gets taken out? Coach Meyer has already lost Johann Goosen for the season and if Meyer is injured he would have to rearrange his thinking and pick Patrick Lambie at 10 – which is hardly a bad thing – but it interferes with his planning because he would now have to pick a new fullback.

The coach has already lost two first choice players in flank Schalk Burger and No 8 Duane Vermeulen – yes he was going to pick the latter ahead of Pierre Spies – and it is known that he fancies Ryan Kankowski as his second choice in the position but a broken thumb meant the Shark has not had enough game time to warrant selection.

The following could be Meyer’s starting team, but let’s see what role injuries play over the next few weeks.

Springboks (Probable): 15 Patrick Lambie 14 JP Pietersen 13 Jean de Villiers (capt) 12 Francois Steyn 11 Bryan Habana 10 Morne Steyn 9 Francois Hougaard 8 Pierre Spies 7 Marcell Coetzee 6 Heinrich Brussow 5 Andries Bekker 4 Eben Etsebeth 3 Jannie du Plessis 3 Bismarck du Plessis 1 Tendai Mtawarira

by Mike Greenaway .www.iol.co.za

Boots and All on Supersport the debate

When are the rugby viewing public going to say enough is enough and demand some quality debate and great opinion from Boots and All as opposed to the rubbish that is dished out each Thursday week after week.

Supersport has the lavish studio , the resources and the cash yet the quality of information coming out of the show boarders on an insult to the rugby viewing public.

The show is littered with every superlative to be found in the dictionary to describe the great play seen week after week ,yet not once is their any constructive criticism or debate about the way teams are playing.

The SA teams are always good and never have we seen any debate about the failings of any of the teams. One only needs to look at the BBC show re the EPL league to see how a show should be run, great guests ,great host and the guests offer an opinion and discuss in detail the pros and cons of each team and generally who will win and why, as opposed to Boots and All which has this feel good factor all the time.

Surely the powers that be can see thru all of this, or has SA rugby got such a hold on Boots and All that they dare not put a foot wrong.

As for getting Victor Matfield as a guest / expert , yes I agree a great call and rumor has it he received a big pay cheque as well , but did someone coach him to say more that three sentences per link. Please help the bloke! He is making a fool out of his world class rugby brain and none of his knowledge is coming across on TV at all.

Matthew Pearce is a” nice”host on Boots and All but” nice” does not make for fantastic viewing. Please tell him to get stuck in with decent questions so that the debate and issues raised can be extended on social media channels and in the printed press.

Give us information we did not know, or dispel rumors as opposed to blowing smoke up the guests you know what. A prime example of a great debate is ,Is Robbie Fleck and good enough backline coach for the DHL Stormers? One just needs to see what Wayne Smith has done in one season at the Chiefs .This could be a really good debate.

What do you think?

Qantas Wallabies coach Robbie Deans has no illusions re Wales

Qantas Wallabies coach Robbie Deans has no illusions about the threat Wales will pose in the three Test Castrol EDGE Test series which kicks off on Saturday 9 June at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. The reigning Six Nations champions today named a 38-man playing group that will prepare for next month’s tour. “After winning the Six Nations so impressively, there’s no doubt that Wales see this tour as the chance to take the next step,” Deans says. “They were quite vocal about that at the end of the tournament, saying it was time they beat one of the major Southern Hemisphere nations. It was also clear, when we were in Cardiff last December for the James Bevan Trophy Test, that they believe that goal is within their reach.” Wales finished fourth at last year’s Rugby World Cup before achieving a second Grand Slam of the annual European Six Nations tournament in five years, after also having swept all before them in the 2008 edition of the competition. “The core of the Welsh squad has been together for a long time, and they are used to being successful,” Deans says. “You only have to look at the settled nature of the squad they have named this morning – there are very few injuries. The players all want to be on this trip. That, in itself, is a statement of their intent.” The Qantas Wallabies enjoyed two narrow wins over Wales last year: firstly 21-18 in the Bronze Medal final at the 2001 Rugby World Cup, before repeating the dose with a 24-18 success in the one off Test for the James Bevan Trophy at the end of last year’s brief Spring Tour. Next month’s visit is the seventh by a Welsh team to Australia. In all, nine matches have been played, with the 19-16 win by Wales on debut at Sydney in 1969, the sole victory secured to date by the visitors from those matches. Deans says it is an indicator of the depth that has developed in Welsh rugby in recent seasons that just four of the players named in the expanded squad have not played for the national senior squad before. As well as the three-Test Castrol EDGE Rugby series against the Qantas Wallabies, with the Tests in Brisbane (June 9), Melbourne (June 16) and Sydney (June 23), Wales will also play a midweek match against the leaders of the Australian conference in the FX Pro Super Rugby competition, the Brumbies, at Canberra on Tuesday June 9. The 2012 Test Match schedule kicks off when the Qantas Wallabies host Scotland at Newcastle on Tuesday June 5. The Scotland squad for its visit is expected to be named shortly. Extended Training Squad For Castrol EDGE Wales Tour 2012 FORWARDS: Ryan BEVINGTON, Luke CHARTERIS, Bradley DAVIES, Ian EVANS, Toby FALETAU, Rhys GILL, Richard HIBBARD, Paul JAMES, Gethin JENKINS, Adam JONES, Alun Wyn JONES, Rhodri JONES, Ryan JONES, Dan LYDIATE, Ken OWENS, Matthew REES, Aaron SHINGLER, Justin TIPURIC, Josh TURNBULL, Sam WARBURTON, Martyn WILLIAMS BACKS: Ashley BECK, Dan BIGGAR, Andrew BISHOP, Aled BREW, Alex CUTHBERT, Jonathan DAVIES, Leigh HALFPENNY, Will HARRIES, James HOOK, George NORTH, Mike PHILLIPS, Rhys PRIESTLAND, Harry ROBINSON, Rhys WEBB, Lloyd WILLIAMS, Scott WILLIAMS, Liam WILLIAMS 2012 Qantas Wallabies Test Match Schedule (all kick offs: local times) Castrol EDGE Rugby International – Hopetoun Cup (i) June 5: Qantas Wallabies v Scotland, Newcastle, 7.30pm Castrol EDGE Wales Tour – James Bevan Trophy (ii) June 9: Qantas Wallabies v Wales, Brisbane, 8pm (iii) June 16: Qantas Wallabies v Wales, Melbourne, 8pm (iv) June 23: Qantas Wallabies v Wales, Sydney (SFS), 3pm The Castrol EDGE Rugby Championship Bledisloe Cup – #1 (v) August 18: Qantas Wallabies v New Zealand, Sydney (ANZ), 8pm August 18: South Africa v Argentina, Cape Town Bledisloe Cup – #2 (vi) August 25: Qantas Wallabies v New Zealand, Auckland, 7.35pm August 25: Argentina v South Africa, Mendoza Mandela Challenge Plate – #1 (vii) September 8: Qantas Wallabies v South Africa, Perth, 6.30pm September 8: New Zealand v Argentina, Wellington (viii) September 15: Qantas Wallabies v Argentina, Gold Coast, 8pm September 15: New Zealand v South Africa, Dunedin Mandela Challenge Plate – #2 (ix) September 29: Qantas Wallabies v South Africa, Pretoria, 3pm September 29: Argentina v New Zealand, La Plata (x) October 6: Qantas Wallabies v Argentina, Rosario, 8pm October 6: South Africa v New Zealand, Soweto Castrol EDGE Bledisloe Cup Test – #3 (xi) October 20: Qantas Wallabies v New Zealand, Brisbane, 8pm Further Information: Matt McILraith, Qantas Wallabies Media Manager,