Share

Elsom: Time for results

Sydney - Results rather than player development are the focus of the Wallabies' seven-match tour of Hong Kong and Europe, skipper Rocky Elsom said on Saturday.

A 36-strong Wallabies' squad will play internationals against New Zealand, England, Wales, France and Italy plus midweek games against English club Leicester and Irish province Munster.

Elsom said he was more focused on getting positive results from the tour than with player development.

"Potential, I think we're a bit past that, I think we're probably more interested in results at the moment," Elsom told reporters at Sydney airport.

"You will know how well we are going, by how many times we get up."

Coach Robbie Deans said the results of his overhaul of the Wallabies' squad were expected to become evident during the tour.

"We selected the best group available," Deans said.

"Clearly, there's a player like (scrumhalf) Nick Phipps in there, who has been given an opportunity in a position where we are pretty much unresolved in terms of our third halfback, so he's got a great opportunity to that end.

"But it's not development. Really when you look at the whole group and the fixtures we are going into, we've got five Test matches, two midweek matches against international combinations."

Deans has blooded 26 players during his tenure and hopes that his emphasis on bringing through new players will start paying off on a consistent basis.

"We believe so, we've got an opportunity in the next month to really show that," Deans told reporters.

Under Deans, the Wallabies have only won 20 of their 38 internationals with 17 losses and a draw since he took over from John Connolly in June 2008.

There are seven uncapped players in the tour squad -- winger Rod Davies, loose forward Scott Higginbotham, lock Van Humphries, winger Pat McCabe, flanker Pat McCutcheon, winger Luke Morahan and scrumhalf Nick Phipps.

It will be the last major overseas tour by the Wallabies ahead of next year's World Cup in New Zealand.

Deans said he expected to have a full squad of players available for the tour opener in Hong Kong on October 30.

Tour itinerary:

October 30 - All Blacks (Bledisloe Cup), Hong Kong

November 6 - Wales, Cardiff

November 9 - Leicester Tigers, Leicester

November 13 - England, London

November 16 - Munster, Limerick

November 20 - Italy, Florence

November 27 - France, Paris

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should the Proteas pick Faf du Plessis for the T20 World Cup in West Indies and the United States in June?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Faf still has a lot to give ...
66% - 509 votes
No! It's time to move on ...
34% - 267 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE