Preview: Australia v Samoa
The Wallabies have rested some of their big guns and could give four players their Test debut when they launch their international season against Samoa in Sydney on Sunday.
Skipper Rocky Elsom will lead an Australian side without World Cup aces Quade Cooper and David Pocock, while Will Genia and Kurtley Beale are on the reserves' bench for the Wallabies' first game in a rare afternoon Test.
Coach Robbie Deans has chosen a solid line-up to get the job done against the big-hitting Pacific Islanders, who have drawn a side fully comprised of overseas-based players.
Deans still has Mark Gerrard, James O'Connor, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Digby Ioane and Matt Giteau among the backs, while buttressing the forwards with Elsom, Nathan Sharpe, Ben Alexander and Stephen Moore.
Deans said his selection was in no way disrespectful to Samoa in a game that comes just a week after the Queensland Reds' euphoric Super Rugby Final victory over the Canterbury Crusaders in Brisbane.
"Given the high most of those blokes had last weekend, it's my experience that it does take a little while to come down from that," he said.
"They've had a big workload already this year. Given that our schedule is so congested, with five Test matches in seven weeks, we felt that now was realistically the only opportunity we had to give them a break."
The Wallabies are mindful that they kick off their Tri-Nations campaign against South Africa in Sydney the following Saturday in the countdown to the World Cup, starting in New Zealand on September 9.
The Samoa Test will offer Deans the chance to run his eye over four squad newcomers - Melbourne Rebels scrumhalf Nick Phipps, Waratahs lock Sitaleki Timani in his starting XV, while the Reds duo of hooker James Hanson and flank Beau Robinson are likely to come off the bench.
It is also an important game for Elsom, who has played just one match since the Wallabies' last international against France in November due to hamstring and ankle injuries.
Lock Dan Vickerman has been named on the bench and will complete a remarkable comeback to international rugby after having taken three years out to finalise his studies in England.
Deans has plenty of insights into the Samoan team, having coached five players from his time at the Crusaders.
"You only have to look at Samoa's results on last year's tour where they ran Ireland, Scotland and England close to see how competitive they will be," Deans said.
A near full-strength Samoa said they won't be showing all their tricks against the Wallabies as they hope to meet them again in the World Cup quarterfinals later this year.
Highlanders hooker Mahonri Schwalger will lead a side that includes five players from New Zealand and England, two each from France and Japan and one from Wales.
"We're pretty close to full strength but we won't be showing everything because hopefully we'll play Australia in the quarterfinals of the World Cup," Samoa assistant coach Brian McLean said.
"We expect to be very competitive. If you look at our results on the northern hemisphere tour late last year, we played England the week after Australia played them and Australia lost by 17 and we lost by 10."
None of the team that played in Samoa's final Pacific Nations Cup match against Tonga on Wednesday have been named in Sunday's starting line-up, but five of them have been listed on the bench.
This will be the fifth Test between Australia and Samoa but their first meeting in six years.
The Wallabies had a desperately-fought 9-3 win over Samoa in their first meeting at the 1991 World Cup in Pontypool, but won more comfortably in their other three Tests, including 73-3 in 1994 and 74-7 in 2005, both in Sydney.
Players to watch:
For Australia: The eyebrows were raised with the inclusion of Rebels scrumhalf Nick Phipps in the starting XV and no doubt that will place him in the spotlight, but the big winner from this weekend's game could be Waratahs lock Sitaleki Timani - a player of whom much is expected. Reds flank Beau Robinson is another debutant that could cement himself amore permanent spot in the Wallaby ranks if he comes off the bench.
For Samoa: You will look for some big hits from Seilala Mapusua in order to disrupt the Wallabies' running game, while Crusaders scrumhalf Kahn Fotuali'i will need to bring all his Super Rugby experience to the game. The pack is not the best in the set pieces, but expect No.8 George Stowers to join cause some havoc at the breakdown... not to mention those infamous Islanders tackling that often borders on illegal.
Head to head: As far as excitement goes, look no further than the wings - where you have the quick-stepping feet of Wallaby James O'Connor up against the brutal Leicester Tigers and Samoan hit man Alesana Tuilagi. With the Wallabies expected to dominate the set pieces, especially the line-outs, the key to the game might well be the performances of the respective halfback combinations - Australia's veteran Matt Giteau and rookie Nick Phipps against the Samoan duo Tusi Pisi and Kahn Fotuali'i.
Recent results:
2005: Australia won 74-7, Sydney
1998: Australia won 25-13, Brisbane
1994: Australia won 73-3, Sydney
1991: Australia won 9-3, Pontypool (World Cup pool match)
Prediction: You will have the Samoans at full tilt in the early stages of the game, and they might even give the Aussies a fright in the first quarter. However, once the nerves settle and the early adrenaline rush is over, the Wallabies should ease well clear. Australia to win by 20 points or more.
Teams:
Wallabies: 15 Mark Gerrard, 14 Rod Davies, 13 Adam Ashley Cooper, 12 Pat McCabe, 11 Digby Ioane, 10 Matt Giteau, 9 Nick Phipps, 8 Ben McCalman, 7 Matt Hodgson, 8 Rocky Elsom (captain), 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 Sitaleki Timani, 3 Ben Alexander, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Sekope Kepu.
Replacements: 16 James Hanson, 17 Pekahou Cowan, 18 Dan Vickerman, 19 Scott Higginbotham, 20 Beau Robinson, 21 Will Genia, 22 Kurtley Beale.
Samoa: 15 Paul Williams, 14 Sailosi Tagicakibau, 13 George Pisi, 12 Seilala Mapusua, 11 Alesana Tuilagi, 10 Tusi Pisi , 9 Kahn Fotuali'i, 8 George Stowers, 7 Maurie Fa'asavalu, 6 Taisina Tuifu'a, 5 Daniel Leo, 4 Kane Thompson, 3 Anthony Perenise, 2 Mahonri Schwalger (captain), 1 Sakaria Taulafo.
Replacements: 16 Ti'i Paulo, 17 Census Johnston, 18 Filipo Lavea Levi, 19 Manaia Salavea, 20 Brenton Helleur, 21 Eliota Fuimaono Sapolu, 22 James So'oialo.
Date: Sunday, July 17
Venue: ANZ Stadium, Sydney
Kick-off: 14.00 AEST (04.00 GMT)
Expected weather: High possibility of showers. Minimum of 10°C and a maximum of 16°C
Referee: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Keith Brown (New Zealand), Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
AFP and rugby365.com