Wallabies spots up for grabs - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Wallabies spots up for grabs

By Adrian Warren 01/10/2010 03:55:36 PM Comments (0)

Several contenders for places on the Wallabies' upcoming spring tour go on display in Saturday's Sydney club rugby grand final, when Test lock Dean Mumm hopes to complete a special family achievement.

The Sydney University stalwart will be one of several Wallabies on show in the Sydney season decider against old rivals Randwick at Concord Oval.

University, who will be striving for their sixth-straight premiership and fourth grand final win in five years over Randwick, will field a starting side consisting entirely of Super-contracted players.

Their side includes Mumm, fellow Test forward Ben McCalman and Test backs Luke Burgess, Berrick Barnes and Julian Huxley.

Injuries have deprived Randwick of Wallabies captain Rocky Elsom and Test winger Drew Mitchell, but still have international representatives in incumbent fullback Kurtley Beale and prop Sekope Kepu and halfback Josh Valentine, both of whom haven't played for Australia since last year.

Wallabies coach Robbie Deans will be among the crowd as he takes one final look at spring tour hopefuls before naming a 40-man training squad on Monday.

Last year's training squad included five uncapped players who subsequently graduated to Wallabies status - McCalman, Beale, back-rower Matt Hodgson, centre Rob Horne and prop Salasi Ma'afu.

"It (the grand final) is a wonderful opportunity for everyone, from established to up-and-coming players, to put up their hand," Munn told AAP on Friday.

"Ben McCalman has certainly gone from strength-to-strength from last year and he was starting at the end of (the 2010) Tri-Nations.

"I think there's a couple of guys, from both Randwick and Sydney University, that are pushing for selection.

"I think someone like (University centres) Tom Carter and Mitch Inman and also Sekope Kepu or Ben Mowen from Randwick, are capable of pushing for selection."

Mumm and captain Tim Davidson are the only members of the University side who will be playing in their sixth-straight grand final.

For Mumm, victory would be particularly significant as it will be the first premiership as head coach for his brother Greg.

"He was forwards coach last year, but it would be particularly special for me to see him get the success," Mumm said.

"It hasn't been the (most) straightforward of years for us. We were languishing around ninth or 10 there for a little while."

Randwick beat University in both their regular season encounters, but the students have embarked on a 12-match winning streak since their second defeat by the Galloping Greens.

They were 10 points off sixth spot at the time of their last loss, but ultimately finished fourth with Randwick qualifying sixth.

Randwick still holds the record of 28 Sydney premierships but University can close to within one of that tally by winning on Saturday.

Randwick coach Mark Giacheri said his team needed to remain composed in attack against University's traditionally tough defence and he wasn't overly concerned by the high-profile withdrawals from his team.

"We're used to it, we've been battling a lot of injuries week-to-week for about half of the season, so this situation isn't new to us," Giacheri told AAP.

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