Deans keeping mum on Wallabies' new 10

Updated September 20, 2012 14:12:45

Wallabies coach Robbie Deans is keeping quiet on who he has chosen to replace injured five-eighth Quade Cooper but says whether it is Berrick Barnes or Kurtley Beale will not make too much difference.

The second-placed Wallabies were flying out on Thursday for their final two Rugby Championship Tests, against the Springboks in Pretoria on Saturday week and against Argentina in Rosario a week later.

Deans said he had decided on a new playmaker after losing Cooper to knee surgery earlier this week but needed to tell his players first.

"The choices are obvious ... we've got Berrick, we've got Kurtley," Deans said at Sydney airport. "Obviously it will be one of the above.

"We've made the decision, we just haven't communicated it yet.

"Our protocol is to talk to the players before we talk to the public."

Barnes, renowned for his reliability, has strong kicking skills more suited for a conservative field-position game while regular full-back Beale is a more explosive, ball-running number 10.

Utility back Barnes' solid performance in his first Test as a full-back in Saturday's 23-19 win over Argentina would have made the decision even tougher.

But Deans insisted his choice was in no way an indication of the style of game he intended to play to continue Australia's recent dominance over the Springboks, winning seven of the past eight contests.

"I don't think it will make a lot of difference either way," he said.

"As you've seen with the way we structure our game, you'll see both players involved in both roles, so it really doesn't matter."

Australia will be looking to save face in its Rugby Championship campaign and can finish second in the series with wins over both the Springboks and the Pumas.

Under-fire coach Deans would also welcome two wins on the road, but asked if it would alleviate any of the pressure on him in the wake of repeated losses to the world number one All Blacks he said: "No I doubt it."

"There's always pressure, but I like the way you're thinking.

"(Two losses would be) more of the same. It's all part of it."

Injured trio Sitaleki Timani (hamstring), Stephen Moore (hamstring) and Dom Shipperley (finger) were all passed fit to travel while Waratahs prop Paddy Ryan and Western Force winger Nick Cummins were the only uncapped players named in the squad.

Wallabies squad:

Backs - Berrick Barnes, Dom Shipperley, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Pat McCabe, Digby Ioane, Nick Phipps, Brett Sheehan, Anthony Faingaa, Kurtley Beale, Mike Harris, Ben Tapuai, Nick Cummins.

Forwards - Radike Samo, Michael Hooper, Dave Dennis, Nathan Sharpe (capt), Kane Douglas, Ben Alexander, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Benn Robinson, Stephen Moore, Saia Faingaa, James Slipper, Scott Higginbotham, Liam Gill, Sitaleki Timani, Rob Simmons, Paddy Ryan.

AAP

Tags: sport, rugby-union, australia, south-africa, argentina

First posted September 20, 2012 10:57:53

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Force confident of keeping Pocock

Updated April 30, 2012 18:51:54

Western Force skipper David Pocock still appears likely to re-sign with the Super Rugby franchise despite Will Genia's shock backflip to stay at the Queensland Reds.

Genia agreed to terms on a lucrative deal with the Force last Thursday but performed an about-face on Monday when he re-signed with the Reds for a further three seasons.

Pocock played a key role in initially convincing Genia to join him at the Force, and was set to re-sign himself in what would have been a massive double coup for the Perth-based franchise.

Genia's change of heart threw into question whether Pocock would reconsider his own position, but the Force remain confident the 24-year-old skipper will stay.

Force chief executive Vern Reid said the club expected to reveal some big-name signings within the next fortnight, and had met Pocock twice since Saturday night to update him on the recruiting drive.

"We're now in the process of enacting other offers and following up offers we've got out to players from Australia and other parts of the world," Reid said on Monday.

"There are a couple of other signings which are very close to being done.

"I think the Force fans are looking for some good news, but all I can do is assure them we're absolutely on the case and we certainly won't be resting until we've got a first-class roster for 2013.

"(Pocock) wants to put this speculation on his future aside and wants to make sure the team performs at its height.

"We'll keep working with him and see if we can secure his future as soon as possible."

Reid described Genia's decision to stay in Queensland as "disappointing and frustrating".

It is understood Force officials were privately fuming at the Reds' decision to send out a release on Saturday night announcing Genia would be linking up with the Force.

"It was a really unusual thing to do, to release information like that, when I'm sure they were aware that nothing had been signed," Reid said.

"The net result appears that it may well have been a successful ploy.

"We would have liked him to have made the decision that he said he had made and join us in Perth.

"Clearly when it came down to signing, something turned his head."

The Force, who sit last in the Australian conference with just two wins from nine games, take on the Cheetahs in South Africa on Saturday.

AAP

Tags: super-rugby, rugby-union, sport, perth-6000, wa, australia

First posted April 30, 2012 18:51:54

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Force hopeful of keeping O'Connor

Posted April 13, 2011 16:55:00

Western Force coach Richard Graham is confident the Perth-based Super Rugby franchise has enough going for it to convince in-demand star back James O'Connor to stay.

The tug-of-war for O'Connor's services is set to heat up over the coming weeks, with the Melbourne Rebels and Brumbies reportedly lining up big-money offers in their bid to nab the exciting 20-year-old.

The Force's bid to hold onto O'Connor has not been helped by their on-field woes, with the club sitting last in the Australian conference after posting just one win and a draw from seven matches.

Australian team-mate Kurtley Beale has reportedly joined the Rebels and could also entice O'Connor to join him in a move south.

But Graham hoped the re-signing of skipper Nathan Sharpe for another season plus the Force's ability to keep players in the international spotlight would convince O'Connor to extend his stay.

"I think Perth have been very good to him over the past four years," Graham said on Wednesday.

"He's become a Wallaby, he's established himself as one of the best young footballers from Perth.

"He's got a very good group of loyal friends.

"So I think all those things together will convince him to stay."

Sharpe, who re-signed with the club on Wednesday, did not rule out playing on into the 2013 season.

The Force hope fellow Wallabies O'Connor, Matt Hodgson and Ben McCalman will follow the lead of their 33-year-old captain by re-signing with the club.

O'Connor was on a drip earlier this week as he battled a viral infection but Graham said his star charge would be ready to go against the Brumbies in Canberra on Sunday.

"He's a resilient little fella and mentally tough," Graham said.

"So if it knocks him about early in the week it won't have an effect on the backend."

Cameron Shepherd, who copped a heavy knock to his head in last week's 31-3 loss to the Waratahs, will have to pass a fitness test later in the week before being given the all clear to take on the Brumbies.

Sharpe, who with 139 Super matches to his name is the competition's most capped player, said it was an easy decision to re-sign with the Force.

"West Australian rugby has been fantastic for me ... so it was a no brainer really," Sharpe said.

"I'm motivated and feel great physically. I'm just enjoying playing rugby.

"While this year hasn't panned out as we'd all like, the potential is tremendous.

"There are a great bunch of guys here, a good coaching staff as well, and I'd like to be part of the success I know this club can achieve."

-AAP

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