The 26-man playing group is composed, almost in its entirety, of players who recently competed in the seventh Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, where Australia beat Wales 21-18 to win the Bronze Final.
One change is in the front row where Western Force prop Pekahou Cowan returns.
Cowan was a member of the victorious Australian squad for the Tri Nations Series, playing the most recent of his four Tests off the bench during the 39-20 win over South Africa at Sydney in July. He has taken the place of the injured Sekope Kepu.
Australiafinished its Rugby World Cup campaign on a high note by beating Wales, which added to the earlier wins achieved over Italy, the United States of America, Russia and South Africa.
This performance enabled the 2011 Tri Nations champions to retain second position on the latest International Rugby Board rankings, rated behind only the Rugby World Cup winners, New Zealand.
The strength of the playing combination named for this tour is reinforced by the fact that the injured pair of fullback Kurtley Beale and flyhalf Quade Cooper are the only players from the starting XV that beat Wales, not to be making this trip.
It might only be a three week assembly, with just two games, but Qantas Wallabies coach Robbie Deans is anticipating a difficult tour, and says the squad has been selected accordingly with Australia’s best players included. The squad averages in excess of 24 previous appearances per man when the total number of Tests played is calculated across the whole playing group.
“While this is a relatively brief visit by current standards, both fixtures promise to be exceedingly demanding,” Deans says. “We’ve just seen at the Rugby World Cup how much and how quickly playing resources can be taxed.”
The Wallabies take on Wales on December 3, with the Wallabies’ 14th and final outing of the year, against Wales for the James Bevan Trophy.
Australiahas won on its last two visits to Cardiff, currently holds the trophy, and beat Wales for the Bronze Medal at the World Cup, which will all only add to the home side’s expectation and motivation heading into the Test according to Deans.
“Wales were arguably the most improved side at the Rugby World Cup, and their expectations will have risen on the back of that performance,” Deans says.
“Warren [Wales coach Warren Gatland] has publicly stated their ambition to sit alongside the top ranked nations by beating them on a regular basis, and they will see this Test as an excellent opportunity to start that process, building on what they achieved in New Zealand.”
More than 60,000 fans attended the Millennium Stadium just to watch Wales’ semi-final defeat by France at the World Cup on the big television screens, and a passionate atmosphere awaits the Wallabies in front of what is sure to be a full house for Wales’ World Cup homecoming.
“This is the only Test match Wales will play for the autumn and you can guarantee that they will throw absolutely everything at it,” Deans says.
As well as Australia’s front-line of players, the squad includes three of the next generation of internationals: the Queensland Reds pair of centre Ben Tapuai and fullback Ben Lucas, and the NSW Waratahs loose forward Dave Dennis.
“It’s a great opportunity for the three of them to take the next step in their careers,” Deans says.
The World Cup squad members not able to be considered for the tour were fullback Kurtley Beale (hamstring), winger Drew Mitchell (hamstring), inside centre Pat McCabe (shoulder), flyhalf Quade Cooper (knee), No 8 Wycliff Palu (hamstring), flanker Rocky Elsom (hamstring), lock Dan Vickerman (shoulder), Kepu (eye) and halfback Luke Burgess who has left Australia to continue his career with leading French club Toulouse.
Winger Lachie Turner and flanker Matt Hodgson, who both joined the Wallabies in New Zealand as the replacements for Mitchell and Palu respectively, have been retained in the touring group.
With room for just two hookers in the travelling party, Queensland Reds rake Saia Fainga’a, who was Australia’s third hooker at the Rugby World Cup, has missed out.
Australia squad: Ben Alexander, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Berrick Barnes, Pekahou Cowan, Dave Dennis, Anthony Faingaa, Will Genia, Scott Higginbotham, Matt Hodgson, Rob Horne, James Horwill (captain), Digby Ioane, Ben Lucas, Salesi Ma’afu, Ben McCalman, Stephen Moore, James O’Connor, Nick Phipps, David Pocock, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Radike Samo, Nathan Sharpe, Rob Simmons, James Slipper, Ben Tapuai, Lachie Turner.
