World Cup-winner among ARU Statesmen

Updated July 14, 2011 21:47:00

Seven of the most celebrated players in Australian rugby have been announced as the 2011 ARU Classic Wallabies Statesmen.

One player from each decade since World War II was on Thursday chosen to serve as a Statesman in an ambassadorial role for the ARU in what shapes as a huge year for Australian rugby.

Two of the seven Statesmen - 1970s great Geoff Shaw and 1980s star and 1991 World Cup winner Simon Poidevin - are former Test captains.

All seven have played a significant role in the history of the game.

Apart from Shaw and Poidevin, the other Statesmen are 1940s representative Eric Tweedale, 1950s full-back Terry Curley, 1960s stalwart Rob Heming, 1990s great Tim Gavin and Elton Flatley, the 2003 World Cup final goalkicking star.

The ARU Classic Wallabies Statesmen program began in 2008 and a new group of players are announced annually.

The inaugural Statesmen were Sir Nicholas Shehadie, Dr John Solomon, Ken Catchpole, Mark Loane, Andrew Slack, Nick Farr-Jones and John Eales.

In 2009, Arthur Buchanan, John Thornett, Jim Lenehan, John Hipwell, Mark Ella, Tim Horan and Matthew Burke were honoured, while last year David Brockhoff, Peter Johnson, John Brass, Greg Cornelsen, Roger Gould, Jason Little and David Wilson were named as Statesmen.

ARU boss John O'Neill said the Statesmen initiative provided an opportunity for rugby to showcase the game's wonderful alumni of former Wallabies.

"This game has been graced by not only great players but truly inspirational figures and we are recognising their achievements and values through this program," he said.

"We must never forget our past and the wonderful men who have contributed so much.

"We want the rugby culture to remain strong and vibrant and we want our past heroes as well as our current stars to help us carry those traditions forward.

"Our seven Statesmen will assist in that process thanks to their standing in the game and the broader community."

Plans for the Statesmen include pre-Test jersey presentations to Wallabies players, addressing players from club and schoolboys level to the elite tiers of the game, and attending official functions as ARU Classic Wallabies Statesmen.

AAP

Tags: rugby-union-world-cup, rugby-union, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted July 14, 2011 21:25:32

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Holmes among string of Tahs changes

Updated June 23, 2011 11:34:00

Former rising star Josh Holmes has been called up to replace scrum half Luke Burgess for the injury-ravaged New South Wales Waratahs' Super Rugby elimination final on Friday night.

Holmes has been thrust into the number nine jersey after Burgess broke his hand at training and is one of five changes to the Waratahs starting team for the sudden-death clash with the Blues at Eden Park.

Waratahs coach Chris Hickey waited until after his side's final training session in Auckland on Thursday morning to reveal his team, with the 24-year-old half-back preferred to Brendan McKibbin.

Holmes was touted as the next Nick Farr-Jones when he starred for the world title-winning Australian Under-19s in 2006, but has since failed to make his mark with both the Waratahs and Brumbies.

But the tall and athletic Holmes' powerful scrum-base game should well suit an intense contest which is expected to be played in wet and slippery conditions.

As well as Holmes, second rower Kane Douglas, hooker John Ulugia, prop Paddy Ryan and winger Soseni Anesi have all been promoted to start what retiring skipper Phil Waugh is tipping to be a Test-like battle.

In a season of major injury woes, Hickey said the Waratahs were unfazed by the continued disruptions and backed his resilient side's tenacity to once again shine through.

"It's been the story of our season," he said.

"If you've had a settled line-up all year and then things are thrown around in a semi-final week, it might cause a bit of panic.

"However we haven't been able to field the same team week to week in almost four months, so we're used to changing things around.

"We've been training since November and playing since February so everyone has confidence in each other and the players who have come in from club rugby have taken everything in their stride.

"The team trained well at the Captain's Run on Eden Park this morning and I know they're looking forward to tomorrow's game."

Douglas returns from a two-week suspension for a dangerous tackle against the Bulls in Pretoria, replacing Pat O'Connor who drops back to the bench.

Ulugia starts with Tatafu Polota-Nau sidelined following knee surgery, Ryan comes in for another injured front rower in Al Baxter, while Anesi was promoted after Hickley reshuffled his backline in the wake of fly half Daniel Halangahu's torn hamstring.

Kurtley Beale was confirmed as the new number 10, prompting Lachie Turner to be shifted from wing to full-back.

Australian sevens captain and playmaker Bernard Foley and unheralded hooker Elvis Taione will both make their NSW debuts off the bench, which has 5-2 split of forwards and backs.

Waratahs: Lachie Turner, Atieli Pakalani, Ryan Cross, Tom Carter, Soseni Anesi, Kurtley Beale, Josh Holmes; Dave Dennis, Phil Waugh (c), Dean Mumm, Sitaleki Timani, Kane Douglas, Paddy Ryan, John Ulugia, Benn Robinson. Res: Elvis Taione, Jeremy Tilse, Pat O'Connor, Chris Alcock, Hugh Perrett, Brendan McKibbin, Bernard Foley.

-AAP

Tags: sport, rugby-union, super-14, australia, nsw, sydney-2000, new-zealand

First posted June 23, 2011 11:25:00

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