Wallabies head coach Michael Cheika has announced his 31-man squad for the Rugby World Cup in Japan which starts next month.
There is a wealth of experience within the squad with 18 players having featured in the 2015 World Cup while overall the 31-men have a combined total of 1406 test caps between them.
Michael Hooper will captain the men in gold
and green while Samu Kerevi will be by his side as vice-captain.
Veteran Adam Ashley-Cooper will make his
fourth appearance at a World Cup as he looks to add to his total of 17 matches
played in the tournament.
One the other side of things 19-year-old
winger Jordan Petaia is among the squad as the only uncapped player. Petaia was
missing for most of the 2019 Super Rugby season due to a Lisfranc injury.
Cheika started by thanking all his players
that played for the national side during their recent Rugby Championship campaign
which included a record-breaking win over the All Blacks.
“Firstly, I would like to thank all of the players who have contributed to the Wallabies’ Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup campaigns this season. We’ve 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 Japan with the full support of those team mates who won’t board the flight. We have worked really hard at building each week and each game so far this season, and play a brand of Rugby that Australia would be proud of and get every player contributing towards the outcome,” he said.
He went on to discuss how the squad will
now move on to a 10-day training camp in New Caledonia as part of their
tournament preparations.
“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. These next few weeks are about building and adding that little extra edge as a squad and we’ll be working hard to make sure we deliver on the qualities we want people to see when we run out on the field in Japan. We have five extra train-on members coming with us to New Caledonia and then we’ll return to take on Samoa, who we have had great clashes with in the past,” he added.
The Wallabies have been handed a tough task in Pool D of the World Cup where they will face Wales, Fiji, Uruguay and Georgia as they look to progress to the next round.
They will play Samoa in a warm-up game on
September 7th before jetting off to Japan where they come up against
Fiji on September 21st and they will need to hit the ground running if
they are to stand any chance of reaching at least the last-eight.
Check Out the Full 31-Man Squad Below.
Forwards:
Allan Alaalatoa (34 Tests, Brumbies, 25)
Rory Arnold (22 Tests , Brumbies, 29)
Adam Coleman (33 Tests, Melbourne Rebels,
28)
Jack Dempsey (11 Tests, NSW Waratahs, 25)
Folau Fainga’a (11 Tests, Brumbies, 24)
Michael Hooper (c) (95 Tests, NSW Waratahs,
27)
Sekope Kepu (105 Tests, NSW Waratahs, 33)
Tolu Latu (15 Tests, NSW Waratahs, 26)
Isi Naisarani (4 Tests, Melbourne Rebels,
24)
David Pocock (77 Tests, Brumbies, 31)
Izack Rodda (21 Tests, Queensland Reds, 22)
Lukhan Salakaia-Loto (15 Tests, Queensland
Reds, 23)
Rob Simmons (97 Tests, NSW Waratahs, 30)
Scott Sio (58 Tests, Brumbies, 27)
James Slipper (90 Tests, Brumbies, 30)
Taniela Tupou (15 Tests, Queensland Reds,
23)
Jordan Uelese (3 Tests, Melbourne Rebels,
22)
Backs:
Adam Ashley-Cooper (118 Tests, NSW
Waratahs, 35)
Kurtley Beale (87 Tests, NSW Waratahs, 30)
Bernard Foley (69 Tests, NSW Waratahs, 29)
Will Genia (104 Tests, Melbourne Rebels,
31)
Dane Haylett-Petty (32 Tests, Melbourne
Rebels, 30)
Reece Hodge (37 Tests, Melbourne Rebels,
24)
Samu Kerevi (vc) (29 Tests, Queensland
Reds, 25)
Marika Koroibete (23 Tests, Melbourne
Rebels, 27)
Tevita Kuridrani (60 Tests, Brumbies, 28)
Christian Lealiifano (22 Tests, Brumbies,
31)
James O’Connor (47 Tests, Queensland Reds,
29)
Jordan Petaia (uncapped, Queensland Reds,
19)
Matt Toomua (46 Tests, Melbourne Rebels,
29)
Nic White (26 Tests, TBC, 29)
