O'Connor gets his Wallaby chance
Tue, 02 Dec 2008 11:38
Rookie that rocks: James O'Connor
Australia’s second youngest Wallaby, James O’Connor, will start in his first match for his country against the Barbarians club at London’s Wembley Stadium on Wednesday.
The match, which will be played at the host venue of the 2012 Olympic Games, celebrates the Olympic Gold Medal won by the Wallabies at the 1908 London Games.
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.
Last year’s Australian schoolboy’s representative now makes his first start in the Wallaby jumper, being positioned at fullback by Wallabies coach Robbie Deans.
The Barbarians have traditionally fielded one uncapped player in major matches, and the Wallabies have today followed suit with the naming of the uncapped Brumbies lock Peter Kimlin among the replacements.
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, 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.
Wing 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.
In the absence of Giteau, Quade Cooper takes over at flyhalf, after performing well from inside centre off the bench for 78 minutes of the Welsh Test.
Another feature of the combination is the selection of Adam Ashley-Cooper at inside centre, partnering Ryan Cross.
Australia: 15 James O’Connor, 14 Lote Tuqiri, 13 Ryan Cross, 12 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 11. Digby Ioane, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Brett Sheehan, 8 Richard Brown, 7 George Smith, 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
Date: Wednesday, December 3
Venue: Wembley Stadium London
Kick-off: 19.45 (19.45 GMT)
Referee: Chris White (England)
Touch judges: Wayne Barnes (England), Steve Terheege (England)
TMO: Geoff Warren (England)
