Elsom named on Tahs bench

Updated April 19, 2012 15:35:17

Former Wallabies captain Rocky Elsom has been named on an eight-man bench for the Waratahs' Super Rugby clash with the Melbourne Rebels at Sydney Football Stadium on Saturday night.

Elsom appears set for his first New South Wales appearance since 2008, after finally declaring himself back to full fitness following an ongoing hamstring problem.

Coach Michael Foley has named the flanker as an interchange player, and will wait until game day before he cuts his squad back to 22.

Although Elsom is the Waratahs' captain, prop Benn Robinson will maintain the leadership duties for the Rebels match.

Foley has elected to stick with the same starting side that defeated the Western Force last week in Perth.

A derby win on home soil on Saturday would move the Waratahs to four wins from eight matches and could potentially put them on top of the Australian Conference at the halfway mark of the season, if other results go their way.

Meanwhile, former NRL star Cooper Vuna will make his return from suspension for the Rebels on Saturday.

The ex-Warriors and Newcastle Knights winger has been named on the Rebels' interchange bench and is likely to be injected into the action as an impact player.

Melbourne desperately needs a derby win on the road to stay alive in the Australian Conference.

The match represents the 50th Super Rugby cap for prop Rodney Blake and the first time ex-Waratah Kurtley Beale will line-up against his former team-mates.

Luke Jones moves from flanker to lock, while Michael Lipman gets his starting chance at number seven.

Mitch Inman's broken hand injury opens the way for Victorian-born centre Lloyd Johansson to return to the starting side at outside centre.

The Rebels have maintained the same playmaking combination of Nick Phipps at half-back, Danny Cipriani at five-eighth and James O'Connor at inside centre.

Waratahs:

Bernard Foley, Tom Kingston, Rob Horne, Tom Carter, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Berrick Barnes, Brendan McKibbin, Wycliff Palu, Chris Alcock, Dave Dennis, Kane Douglas, Dean Mumm, Sekope Kepu, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Benn Robinson (capt). Res: Rocky Elsom, Daniel Halangahu, Jono Jenkins, Sarel Pretorius, Paddy Ryan, Lopeti Timani, Sitaleki Timani, John Ulugia.

Rebels:

Kurtley Beale, Lachlan Mitchell, Lloyd Johansson, James O'Connor, Mark Gerrard, Danny Cipriani, Nick Phipps, Gareth Delve (capt), Michael Lipman, Jarrod Saffy, Hugh Pyle (vc), Luke Jones, Rodney Blake, Ged Robinson, Nic Henderson. Res: Luke Holmes, Jono Owen, Al Campbell, Tim Davidson, Richard Kingi, Julian Huxley, Cooper Vuna

AAP

Tags: rugby-union, super-rugby, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, australia, melbourne-3000, vic

First posted April 19, 2012 15:22:16

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Huxley dropped to Rebels bench

Posted June 16, 2011 13:54:00

Utility back Julian Huxley has been dropped to the reserves bench for the Melbourne Rebels' final Super Rugby match of the season against the Western Force.

Afusipa Taumoepeau will start in the centres in Friday night's clash at AAMI Park.

Prop Nic Henderson and lock Adam Byrnes will also start for the hosts in what shapes as Rod Macqueen's last match as Rebels coach.

The Melbourne franchise has won three matches in its inaugural season, the most recent of them being against the Force back in early April.

Rebels: Mark Gerrard, Richard Kingi, Afusipa Taumoepeau, Stirling Mortlock (c), Cooper Vuna, Danny Cipriani, Nick Phipps, Gareth Delve, Michael Lipman, Jarrod Saffy, Adam Byrnes, Alister Campbell, Greg Somerville, Ged Robinson, Nic Henderson

Reserves: Adam Freier, Laurie Weeks, Kevin O'Neill, Tim Davidson, Lachlan Mitchell, Peter Betham, Julian Huxley

- AAP

Tags: sport, rugby-union, super-14, melbourne-3000

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Vickerman named on Tahs bench

Updated June 15, 2011 14:43:00

New South Wales has named returning Wallabies lock Dan Vickerman on the bench for Saturday's must-win Super Rugby clash with the Brumbies in Sydney.

The injury-ravaged Waratahs must beat the Brumbies at the Olympic stadium to secure a play-off berth.

Vickerman, 32, last played for the Waratahs in 2008 and has spent the intervening period studying in England, only returned to Australia last Saturday.

The South African-born Vickerman is part of a re-shuffled line-up for the Waratahs, who continue their long battle with injuries this year.

Back rower Dave Dennis will start at number eight in place of the injured Wycliff Palu, who was ruled out for the rest of the Super Rugby season after breaking his shoulder in last Saturday's 33-7 victory over the Highlanders at Sydney Football Stadium.

Dennis is looking forward to the contest.

"It doesn't get any bigger than this. Win, and we're in the finals it's as simple as that," he said.

"We showed last week that we're capable of playing an exciting brand of rugby at the business end of the year and we want to bring the same mind-set on Saturday night.

"There's a few changes to the side but we've all got confidence in each other and the win over the Highlanders showed that we have the depth to perform well if we execute accurately."

The Waratahs have named key forwards Tatafu Polota-Nau and Benn Robinson in the starting line-up.

The pair are battling injuries but coach Chris Hickey is hopeful both hooker Polota-Nau (knee) and prop Robinson (ankle) will be right to play.

Ryan Cross will start at outside centre after missing the past two matches with a knee injury.

Last week's hat-trick hero Tom Carter moves back to his regular spot at inside centre after starring in the number 13 jersey.

Dean Mumm moves from the second row to blindside flanker, while Pat O'Connor comes into the starting XV at lock.

Atieli Pakalani will start on the wing with Sosene Anesi moving to the bench.

Waratahs squad: Kurtley Beale, Lachie Turner, Ryan Cross, Tom Carter, Atieli Pakalani, Daniel Halangahu, Luke Burgess, Dave Dennis, Phil Waugh (c), Dean Mumm, Sitaleki Timani, Pat O'Connor, Al Baxter, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Benn Robinson

Reserves: John Ulugia, Jeremy Tilse, Dan Vickerman, Chris Alcock, Hugh Perrett, Josh Holmes, Sosene Anesi

- AAP

Tags: sport, rugby-union, super-14, sydney-2000

First posted June 15, 2011 14:25:00

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