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Walloped Wallabies Australia reinforces squad to face Springboks
Posted: Friday July 30, 1999 11:05 AM
SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -- Veteran front-rowers Andrew Blades and Phil Kearns were reinstated Friday to the starting lineup for Australia's next Tri-Nations rugby union test against South Africa at Cape Town on Aug. 14. Kearns, with 63 test caps, will replace Jeremy Paul in the run-on side while prop Glenn Panoho is the one player to drop out of the squad following last week's loss to New Zealand. Blades, fellow prop Richard Harry, lock Tom Bowman, utility back Rod Kafer and winger Scott Staniforth were added to the squad. Australia coach Rod Macqueen says Blades and Kearns will definitely be in the run-on side but he won't finalize the team until after next week's match between New Zealand and South Africa. Blades, 32, played the last of his 24 tests against England late last year. Macqueen said the selectors have looked at the areas exposed by last week's 34-15 loss to the All Blacks in Auckland. "The experienced of Andrew Blades and Phil Kearns was obviously a factor in our thinking, but our goals remain long-term with the World Cup the obvious priority," Macqueen said. The Wallabies go into camp in Caloundra on Queensland's Sunshine Coast next Monday and leave for South Africa on Aug. 7. The injured trio of captain and second rower John Eales, five-eighth Stephen Larkham and backrower Owen Finegan are all expected to make their comebacks to club rugby over the next two weeks. Australian SquadAndrew Blades, Tom Bowman, Matt Burke, Matt Cockbain, Mark Connors, Dan Crowley, David Giffin, George Gregan, Nathan Grey, Richard Harry, Daniel Herbert, Tim Horan, Rod Kafer, Phil Kearns, Toutai Kefu, Chris Latham, Jason Little, Patricio Noriega, Joe Roff, Scott Staniforth, Tiaan Strauss, Ben Tune, John Welborn, Chris Whitaker, David Wilson, Jeremy Paul.
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