Daley, O'Connor picked for Wallabies - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Daley, O'Connor picked for Wallabies

10/06/2010 07:33:17 PM Comments (0)

Queensland prop Ben Daley will face a baptism of fire in his Wallabies debut against England at Subiaco Oval on Saturday night.

Daley, 21, will make his Test debut as one of four changes to Australia's starting 15, which defeated Fiji 49-3 in Canberra last weekend.

Hooker Saia Faingaa, fullback James O'Connor and winger Drew Mitchell have also been promoted by coach Robbie Deans.

Dropping out of the side are front rowers Pekahou Cowan and Huia Edmonds, fullback Kurtley Beale and injured winger Adam Ashley-Cooper.

Halfback Will Genia has overcome a knee injury to be a surprise choice on the bench behind Luke Burgess, while young prop James Slipper was also a bolter in the reserves.

Neither Daley nor Slipper were starting Super 14 players before this season, but have risen through the ranks on the back of the Reds Super 14 revival and Dean's controversial youth policy.

Robbie Deans has no doubts Daley can fill the huge boots of injured props Benn Robinson and Ben Alexander to spearhead the Wallabies most inexperienced front-row in 27 years.

Coach Deans has punted on the 21-year-old son of Manly league great Phil Daley to excel against the massive, grizzled English forward pack.

The surprise nod to Daley, ahead of Cowan, comes following five weeks on the sidelines with a triceps injury and gives Australia's front-row a combined total of just two Test caps after Salesi Ma'afu and hooker Saia Faingaa debuted against Fiji.

It's just one more than when Mark McBain and Mark Harding debuted alongside John Coolican in Italy in 1983.

With Huia Edmonds and uncapped bolter James Slipper, 21, on the bench, Australia's five novice front-rowers have just three caps between them.

In contrast, England's starting front three of Tim Payne, Steve Thompson and Dan Cole have 80 between them.

But Deans, who has resolutely stuck to his guns by not sending an SOS for Al Baxter or Matt Dunning to overcome his current injury crisis, said Daley was the epitome of the new age prop in a promising new era for Australian scrummaging.

"I think we're coming into a good era of front-row forwards in this country and I think it's great to have that depth," Deans said, also seeing a positive in his youngsters not baring any of the scars from English demolition jobs at Twickenham in 2005 and Marseille in 2007.

"They don't bring any baggage forward. It doesn't concern them and some of them aren't even aware." Deans had no concerns about Daley's ability to immediately bounce back from injury.

"He's got through a lot of work, first and foremost, his injury is well behind him and he's back to full strength," Deans said on Thursday.

"He had a great (Super 14) campaign and his performances against international front-rows (showed that), and the most obvious examples were against the Bulls and the Stormers at Suncorp, so he is accustomed to what he is going to be entering."

Daley "celebrated" his selection as one of four changes to the Wallabies starting team - along with Faingaa, James O'Connor and Drew Mitchell - by having his eye brow split open during a mauling drill in training and was given six stitches for his trouble.

Shock selection Slipper has only one Super 14 start behind him, ironically courtesy of Daley's injury, but his flexibility and solid 30 minutes off the bench in the Australian Barbarians 28-all draw with England earned him a surprise call-up.

Daley was quick enough to joke that his Reds teammate owed him a beer for the leg-up but also felt ready to counter the searching examination from the English.

"They pride themselves on their scrummaging prowess so it's a great opportunity," he said.

"If you are going to play at this level you have to test yourself against the best."

Australia:

James O'Connor, Digby Ioane, Rob Horne, Matt Giteau, Drew Mitchell, Quade Cooper, Luke Burgess; Richard Brown, David Pocock, Rocky Elsom (capt), Nathan Sharpe, Dean Mumm, Salesi Ma'afu, Saia Faingaa, Ben Daley. Res: Huia Edmonds, James Slipper, Mark Chisholm, Matt Hodgson, Will Genia, Berrick Barnes, Kurtley Beale.

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