10 Aug 2013

Wallabies coach sticks with three playmakers

6:11 am on 10 August 2013

The new Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie's retained both uncapped five-eighths Matt Toomua and Bernard Foley in his trimmed-down 30-man squad for the opening Bledisloe Cup rugby test.

McKenzie opted against dropping either of the play-making pair, who will battle Quade Cooper for the right to wear the No.10 jersey against the All Blacks in Sydney next Saturday.

Back-rowers Scott Fardy and Jake Schatz, prop Scott Sio, hooker Albert Anae, centre Tevita Kuridrani and halfback Nic White are the other players in line to make their test debuts.

The veteran prop Benn Robinson has missed out on selection for the squad.

Wallabies 30-man squad: James Horwill (capt), Albert Anae, Ben Alexander, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Quade Cooper, Nick Cummins, Kane Douglas, Saia Faingaa, Scott Fardy, Israel Folau, Bernard Foley, Will Genia, Liam Gill, Michael Hooper, Sekope Kepu, Tevita Kuridrani, Christian Lealiifano, Ben McCalman, Hugh McMeniman, Jesse Mogg, Stephen Moore, Ben Mowen, James O'Connor, Jake Schatz, Rob Simmons, Scott Sio, James Slipper, Joe Tomane, Matt Toomua, Nic White