Veteran lock James Horwill and scrum-half Nic White were the big omissions Friday as southern hemisphere champions Australia named their 31-man squad to tackle a challenging group at next month’s Rugby World Cup.
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Backs: W Genia, N Phipps, Q Cooper, B Foley, K Beale, M Giteau, M Toomua, A Ashley-Cooper, I Folau, R Horne, D Mitchell, H Speight, J Tomane, T Kuridrani.
The selection travelling to England for the September tournament comprises 17 forwards and 14 backs, who have over 1,200 Test caps between them, but 2011 captain James Horwill has failed to make the touring party.
“There’s some happy people and some very disappointed people”, Cheika said.
Wasps flanker Smith will be on stand-by for the Wallabies at next month’s World Cup, admitting his chances of making Michael Cheika’s main squad remain “a long shot”.
Horwill captained the Wallabies at the last World Cup but was a high-profile casualty with Kane Douglas returning as one of four second-rowers in the line-up, alongside Dean Mumm, Rob Simmons and Will Skelton.
Others in the extended squad, who will be on standby in case of any tournament-ending injuries occur, are forwards Sam Carter, David Dennis, Tetera Faulkner, Scott Higginbotham and backs Samu Kerevi, Christian Lealiifano and Taqele Naiyaravoro.
After a run of games that has included winning the Rugby Championship and splitting the two Bledisloe Cup Tests against New Zealand, the Wallabies are full of confidence as they look to win the World Cup for the first time since 1999.
Moore is joined by vice-captain Adam Ashley-Cooper and Matt Giteau as players in their third cup campaign.
“Our primary focus throughout the Super Rugby competition, The Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup was to select a balanced squad between youth, experience and form and this squad certainly delivers on this”.
The bolter in the squad is uncapped Melbourne Rebels prop Toby Smith, who is among 13 World Cup rookies.
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Australia has drawn a tough pool that will see it open with a match against Fiji on September 23 in Cardiff before taking on Uruguay, England and Wales.
