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Horwill New Wallaby Captain

Siva Tau

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The team just announced and apart from Giteau's non-selection this is the biggest surprise.

I guess it paves the way for a more dominant figure in Horwill plus also gives scope for Elsom to be dropped if necessary without it being to drastic during the WC.

IMO a good move which will only help the Wallabies
 
one thing is for sure, deans isn't scared to make the tough calls if he thinks they need to be made. But this does create a lot of "what if's" about the squad if they dont do well at the world cup.

IMO A lot of change has happened in the Aussie setup while deans has been coach and the results havn't been great but the thought has always been that the changes will settle down and the team will improve. But to be making major changes like the captian and dropping an experienced world class player with 95 caps days out from when they are suposed to peak isn't really "seteling down"

I think a lot of Kiwi's like me have sat around shocked while deans has basically dumped players like George Smith, Stirling Mortlock, Phil Waugh, Loti Tuqiri and now Matt Giteau, maybe Even Rocky Elsom as well?

I look at that list of names and see a bunch of guys who know how to stand toe to toe with the All Blacks and get under their skin, put their body on the line and bleed for the wallabies where most of the new blood in the Aussie team have done little more than be put over the all blacks knee and get spanked like naughty little boys for the last 4 years.
 
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It's a good move for the betterment of Aussie Rugby.

And probably for Rocky, he needs a big RWC to get back into some decent form. Games like last week for him have become occasional rather than standard which isnt what a leader or a starter should be.

Giteau dropped? Bad bad move.
 
Elsom sacked as Wallabies skipper

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The Australian Rugby Union made a shock move by sacking Rocky Elsom as captain of the Wallabies for the World Cup, announcing James Horwill as the leader of the 30-man squad for next month's showpiece event in New Zealand.

Elsom has received criticism over his form in recent times after the flanker endured a horror run of injuries during the most recent Super Rugby competition. Meanwhile, Horwill guided Queensland to the Super Rugby ***le.

Horwill will become Australia's 77th Test captain when the Wallabies have their final hit out before the World Cup in a Tri-Nations match against the All Blacks in Brisbane. Wallabies coach Robbie Deans said the change in leadership had been made because Horwill was considered the player best equipped to handle the all-round responsibilities associated with captaining the side.

"It is well documented that Rocky came into the Test season off a limited background in terms of preparation, having missed all but 60 minutes of Super Rugby due to injury," Deans said.

"As the incumbent captain, he warranted the opportunity to continue in the role but it has become clear that the additional responsibility has been a distraction that Rocky doesn't need.

"We all felt it was in the best interest, both of Rocky and of the team, to relieve him of the extra duties, with James's recent experience making him the best option to take over in the role."

Elsom is one of eight players who competed at the 2007 World Cup in France, where Australia bowed out in the quarter-finals. The others are centre Adam Ashley-Cooper, fly-half Berrick Barnes, winger Drew Mitchell, hooker Stephen Moore, No. 8 Wycliff Palu and locks Nathan Sharpe and Dan Vickerman.

Players who missed out on selection from the recent South Africa trip are winger Lachie Turner, flanker Matt Hodgson, lock Sitaleki Timani and prop Pekahou Cowan, while Matt Giteau missed out as expected. Returning from injury into the squad are Mitchell, Palu, hooker Tatafu Polota Nau, centre Rob Horne and prop James Slipper.

Wallabies World Cup Squad:

Backs: Kurtley Beale, James O'Connor, Drew Mitchell, Digby Ioane, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Rob Horne, Pat McCabe, Anthony Faingaa, Berrick Barnes, Quade Cooper, Nick Phipps, Luke Burgess, Will Genia.

Forwards: Ben McCalman, Radike Samo, Wycliff Palu, David Pocock, Rocky Elsom, Scott Higginbotham, James Horwill (c), Rob Simmons, Nathan Sharpe, Dan Vickerman, Ben Alexander, Sekope Kepu, James Slipper, Salesi Ma'afu, Stephen Moore, Saia Faingaa, Tatafu Polota-Nau.

http://www.espnscrum.com/australia/rugby/story/146457.html

Posting of the squad would have been nice ....
 
If Elsom was sacked, why Pockock was not chosen?
Deans is playing dangerous game. Most senior players are gone and young guns have to prove something.
 
Good move by Deans.

Stripping Elsom of the responsibility as captain will free him up to go back to being what he was before he bacame captain... an enforcer!!
 
I think a lot of Kiwi's like me have sat around shocked while deans has basically dumped players like George Smith, Stirling Mortlock, Phil Waugh, Loti Tuqiri and now Matt Giteau, maybe Even Rocky Elsom as well


George Smith: signed for Toulon in 2009, Pocock in for him.
Phil Waugh: no more shining as in 2003-2005.
Lote Tuqiri: contract sacked by ARU due to disciplinary. People still doesn't know why, but not Deans decision.
Stirling Mortlock: didn't play test rugby since... 2008 or 2009? struggled with knee and back injury, now he is 34.
 
Hmmm, this all seems very similar to 2003 when John Mitchell and Robbie Deans dropped Christian Cullen and Andrew Mehrtens from their world cup in place of Ben Atiga and Caleb Ralph/Leon McDonald. It's alright saying "he's not playing his best rugby", but there are some pretty daunting effects of leaving out a 28 year old with 92 test caps. Nothing other than a RWC final will leave people impressed with this decision.
 
Well he is the most over-rated player in world rugby, so I don't know what people are getting in a fuss about really.
 
Agreed

All this means is that Elsom isn't guaranteed his spot in the 6 shirt, which is probably a good thing considering his dips in form (looked better last match though)

6. Higginbotham
7. Pocock
8. Samo

That'd be immense
 
Agreed

All this means is that Elsom isn't guaranteed his spot in the 6 shirt, which is probably a good thing considering his dips in form (looked better last match though)

6. Higginbotham
7. Pocock
8. Samo

That'd be immense

You're dead right! If he isn't one of the first names written on the team sheet, he can't be captain. He's avoiding that awkward John Smit/Bismark situation where the better player is left on the bench because they think Smit is a better leader. (Not that anyone is accusing Elsom of being a great leader).

I'm more surprised that they extended deans contract before the world cup! Honestly.... what has he done?
 
Agree with Duck while definately not at his best Elsom is far from "crap".
 
I think Deans has it correct, getting Gits out of the Wallabies team is great... a player with 92 caps and been to 2 world cups would sound bad to drop. However has he been apart of any winning tournment with a Wallabie shirt on? The answer is no, has he ever scored a try against the AB, the answer is no. If he was the no.12 in a world cup final vs AB he would not be able to win it for AUS, due to his mental state of always losing. True 1 person does not decide a team of 15... but sometimes it does have a major effect, look at Wilko, Carter or Richie... now when they play teams play better because they can win! Gits is not what we need he has failed 2 times, thats his days done.

Horwill has passion (watch him winning the super 15 ***le) he wants to win, he needs to win. He also has form, and just won a super 15 ***le as caption!! I would have him leading a world cup team over Elsom anyday... Elsom is a great player but you need your no.1 play as cap, he is not a no.1 player all the time, however Horwill IS! Many Red players in the Wallabies and not many Brumbies... they know him and trust him, also we have won 2 world cups with a lock as cap before remember.
 

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