Ewen McKenzie names his Wallabies squad for three-Test series against France

WALLABIES coach Ewen McKenzie unveils his squad for the Test series against France and says Kurtley Beale or Bernard Foley will play at No.10.

Kurtley Beale of the Wallabies during the Rugby Union First Test match between Australia and the British and Irish Lions played at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. Pic Darren England.

KURTLEY BEALE or Bernard Foley will wear the Wallabies No. 10 jersey against France after Matt Toomua was named as a centre option in Ewen McKenzie’s 32-man squad.

Four uncapped players — hooker Nathan Charles, and locks Will Skelton, Luke Jones and Sam Carter — have been named in the squad.

Western Force prop Pek Cowan makes a stunning return to the national squad three years after his last Test for the Wallabies.

Veteran front rower Benn Robinson has been axed, along with Waratahs captain Dave Dennis, and second-rower Kane Douglas — who announced this week he is joining Leinster at the end of the year.

Queensland flanker Liam Gill has also missed out, with Western Force skipper Matt Hodgson being preferred, while Ben McCalman has also been rewarded for outstanding form at the Perth franchise this year.

With Quade Cooper ruled out for most of the Test season after undergoing a shoulder operation, it was widely assumed his five-eighth back-up last year, Toomua, would take the No. 10 jersey.

Kurtley Beale will vie with Bernard Foley for the Wallabies No.10 jersey.

However, McKenzie has named only Beale and Foley as his five-eighth options, picking Toomua as a centre selection alongside Christian Lealiifano and Tevita Kuridrani.

Rob Horne, who has been in outstanding form on the wing for NSW, has been chosen as a back-three option despite having played all his previous Test matches in the midfield, while Pat McCabe is another choice in the back three alongside incumbents Israel Folau, Adam Ashley-Cooper and Nick Cummins.

Four players will also train with the squad; winger Henry Speight, prop Paddy Ryan, lock Cadeyrn Neville and winger Tom English.

Speight will become eligible for the Wallabies on September 11 and will be learning backline moves and calls in preparation for his Test debut which seems inevitable as soon as he is cleared to wear the gold jersey.

“It’s pleasing to see the quality and depth we have coming through the Australian rugby ranks at the moment and I’m confident the squad we’ve chosen can deliver the outcomes we are looking for throughout the June series,” McKenzie said.

Will Skelton is one of four uncapped players in the Wallabies squad.

“We’re beginning to create a strong and competitive selection environment, which unfortunately means that some quality players will miss out.

“The challenge for this group now is to build on our four most recent wins on the spring tour and ensure we continue to develop a winning culture.

“The last time an Australian team won five straight games was in 2008. That’s a six-year hoodoo we need to break and it will be our immediate short-term team goal.

“We’re also looking for players to contribute as much to the cultural piece off the field as they do with their performance on it.

“We don’t hide from the fact that we want to have the best rugby program possible and to do that you need to have not just the best players but the best people.

“We are in the business of inspiration. Winning is not enough and it’s important that our journey captures the hearts and minds of the Australian public along the way.

“That’s the responsibility of each individual in the squad and we’re really looking forward to the opportunity to positively influence the rugby landscape in Australia in June and throughout the rest of the year.”

Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie announces the 32-man squad for the upcoming series against France.

McKenzie said of the four added players: “The reality is we have more players performing well than we have space in our squad, so it’s important for the coaching staff that we have an opportunity to learn more about some of the players who haven’t had as much recent exposure to the national program.

“By adding four additional players to the group for the opening week we’ll get to learn more about some guys, while they get to experience a different environment and test themselves at the elite level.”

McKenzie has not named a captain, and will only do so once the squad gathers in camp in a fortnight.

Incumbent skipper Ben Mowen was not considered because he has signed to play with French club Montpellier at the end of the year, with McKenzie building a squad for next year’s World Cup.

Michael Hooper, Stephen Moore, Will Genia and James Horwill are the likely candidates for the captaincy.

WALLABIES SQUAD FOR FRANCE SERIES

PROP

Ben Alexander (ACT Brumbies)

Pek Cowan (Western Force)

Sekope Kepu (NSW Waratahs)

Scott Sio (ACT Brumbies)

James Slipper (Queensland Reds)

HOOKER

Nathan Charles (Western Force)

Stephen Moore (ACT Brumbies)

Tatafu Polota-Nau (NSW Waratahs)

LOCK

Sam Carter (ACT Brumbies)

James Horwill (Queensland Reds)

Luke Jones (Melbourne Rebels)

Rob Simmons (Queensland Reds)

Will Skelton (NSW Waratahs)

BACKROW

Scott Fardy (ACT Brumbies)

Scott Higginbotham (Melbourne Rebels)

Matt Hodgson (Western Force)

Michael Hooper (NSW Waratahs)

Ben McCalman (Western Force)

Wycliff Palu (NSW Waratahs)

SCRUMHALF

Will Genia (Queensland Reds)

Nick Phipps (NSW Waratahs)

Nic White (ACT Brumbies)

FLYHALF

Kurtley Beale (NSW Waratahs)

Bernard Foley (NSW Waratahs)

CENTRE

Tevita Kuridrani (ACT Brumbies)

Christian Leali’ifano (ACT Brumbies)

Matt Toomua (ACT Brumbies)

BACK-THREE

Adam Ashley-Cooper (NSW Waratahs)

Nick Cummins (Western Force)

Israel Folau (NSW Waratahs)

Rob Horne (NSW Waratahs)

Pat McCabe (ACT Brumbies)

Relive all the news from the Wallabies squad announcement in our blog below

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Originally published as Ewen McKenzie names his Wallabies squad for three-Test series against France