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Greg Growden - RugbyHeaven
Durban - Wallabies coach Robbie Deans has called on his players to at last produce a performance ''they can be proud of'' when they confront the Springboks in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
After the exasperation of allowing South Africa to run over the top of them in Pretoria, Wallabies selectors have opted to energise and bulk up the forward pack by including second-rower Mark Chisholm, hooker Stephen Moore and No 8 Ben McCalman. Their addition increases the Wallabies total scrum weight by 16 kilograms.
Following concerns that the Wallabies lineout and scrum work was too erratic at Loftus Versfeld, Deans is demanding that Chisholm provides a similar performance to that he produced against the Springboks in Brisbane last year. He also wants Moore to be the solid mentor at set pieces, and McCalman to provide much-needed aggression.
Most importantly, Deans has warned the entire team - from newcomers to experienced starting XV players - that similar indiscretions to those committed in Pretoria last weekend will not be tolerated. World Cup spots are now in the balance.
''We haven't mastered our consistency within games and between games,'' Deans said. ''It is critical for those who are lucky enough to get the opportunity this weekend to produce something they are proud of.''
Deans also emphasised that better organisation was required at set pieces, stressing that the demotion of hooker Saia Faingaa to the bench was not due to lineout bungles late in the Pretoria Test, but more to do with the importance of experience and physicality in Bloemfontein.
''This is certainly not a reflection on Saia. He has been throwing well, and the last couple of options in the game weren't a throwing issue,'' Deans said. ''It was probably more to do with taking the options which were open.''
Second-rowers Dean Mumm and Rob Simmons, who were on the field during that period, have been demoted. McCalman and Chisholm are there because they provide size.
McCalman's promotion was probably the most unexpected selection, as he is in only his first season of provincial football with the Force, but the Wallabies coach said he first noticed him last year when playing club football for Sydney University.
McCalman almost made last year's end of season northern hemisphere tour, after performing well in a Wallabies team trial at Riverview College, but was overlooked for David Dennis.
''We then certainly noticed his love of the physical exchanges, and that he was a bloke not daunted by anything,'' Deans said. ''We've seen through this year's Super rugby competition when he's played lock [second row] that he is a lineout option. That's another element he provides us.''
McCalman, born in Dubbo and educated in Orange, predicted a huge get-together on the family's 2000 hectare sheep and wheat farm at Warren in the early hours of Sunday morning, as he makes his first starting XV appearance. Shortly after being told he had made the team, McCalman telephoned his mother Jenny on the property, but there wasn't much time for celebration as they were focused on spraying crops.
As expected from a farmer's son, McCalman talked very directly about what was required of him this weekend. ''The plan is a simple game, not to be too complex, and even though they are big men, we will really take it to them. We have to try to run those big blokes around,'' he said.
''I'm sure they'll try to do a few things [to upset him], but I've played them in the Super 14, and it's no different to that. Pierre Spies [Springboks No 8] did play very well last weekend, but having played against him before, I'm very confident about coming up against him.''
Moore and winger Drew Mitchell will celebrate their 50th Test caps.
Although Wallabies inside-centre Matt Giteau rolled his ankle at training in Durban, team officials said he was in no doubt for Saturday's Test. The Wallabies medical staff will check on Giteau's ankle at Friday afternoon's captains run, but are convinced he will play.
Durban - Wallabies coach Robbie Deans has called on his players to at last produce a performance ''they can be proud of'' when they confront the Springboks in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
After the exasperation of allowing South Africa to run over the top of them in Pretoria, Wallabies selectors have opted to energise and bulk up the forward pack by including second-rower Mark Chisholm, hooker Stephen Moore and No 8 Ben McCalman. Their addition increases the Wallabies total scrum weight by 16 kilograms.
Following concerns that the Wallabies lineout and scrum work was too erratic at Loftus Versfeld, Deans is demanding that Chisholm provides a similar performance to that he produced against the Springboks in Brisbane last year. He also wants Moore to be the solid mentor at set pieces, and McCalman to provide much-needed aggression.
Most importantly, Deans has warned the entire team - from newcomers to experienced starting XV players - that similar indiscretions to those committed in Pretoria last weekend will not be tolerated. World Cup spots are now in the balance.
''We haven't mastered our consistency within games and between games,'' Deans said. ''It is critical for those who are lucky enough to get the opportunity this weekend to produce something they are proud of.''
Deans also emphasised that better organisation was required at set pieces, stressing that the demotion of hooker Saia Faingaa to the bench was not due to lineout bungles late in the Pretoria Test, but more to do with the importance of experience and physicality in Bloemfontein.
''This is certainly not a reflection on Saia. He has been throwing well, and the last couple of options in the game weren't a throwing issue,'' Deans said. ''It was probably more to do with taking the options which were open.''
Second-rowers Dean Mumm and Rob Simmons, who were on the field during that period, have been demoted. McCalman and Chisholm are there because they provide size.
McCalman's promotion was probably the most unexpected selection, as he is in only his first season of provincial football with the Force, but the Wallabies coach said he first noticed him last year when playing club football for Sydney University.
McCalman almost made last year's end of season northern hemisphere tour, after performing well in a Wallabies team trial at Riverview College, but was overlooked for David Dennis.
''We then certainly noticed his love of the physical exchanges, and that he was a bloke not daunted by anything,'' Deans said. ''We've seen through this year's Super rugby competition when he's played lock [second row] that he is a lineout option. That's another element he provides us.''
McCalman, born in Dubbo and educated in Orange, predicted a huge get-together on the family's 2000 hectare sheep and wheat farm at Warren in the early hours of Sunday morning, as he makes his first starting XV appearance. Shortly after being told he had made the team, McCalman telephoned his mother Jenny on the property, but there wasn't much time for celebration as they were focused on spraying crops.
As expected from a farmer's son, McCalman talked very directly about what was required of him this weekend. ''The plan is a simple game, not to be too complex, and even though they are big men, we will really take it to them. We have to try to run those big blokes around,'' he said.
''I'm sure they'll try to do a few things [to upset him], but I've played them in the Super 14, and it's no different to that. Pierre Spies [Springboks No 8] did play very well last weekend, but having played against him before, I'm very confident about coming up against him.''
Moore and winger Drew Mitchell will celebrate their 50th Test caps.
Although Wallabies inside-centre Matt Giteau rolled his ankle at training in Durban, team officials said he was in no doubt for Saturday's Test. The Wallabies medical staff will check on Giteau's ankle at Friday afternoon's captains run, but are convinced he will play.
