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Australia included in revived Pacific Nations Cup tournament in July

(Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Test hopefuls will have another stage to press their claims for Rugby World Cup selection with an Australia A squad competing in the Pacific Nations Cup this July in Fiji.

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While the Wallabies take on England in three tests in July in Perth, Brisbane and Sydney, a development squad will play three matches against test line-ups from Samoa, Fiji and Tonga.

Rugby Australia boss Andy Marinos says the return of Australia A is a way to get more high-level rugby into Super Rugby players, with the National Rugby Championship (NRC) no longer in place.

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Australia A played regularly between 2000 and 2008 – even recording a surprise win over the 2001 British and Irish Lions – and has been considered a launching pad for test careers.

“Our High Performance review highlighted a relative lack of game time for the younger, developing professional players in our system,” Marinos said in a statement on Thursday.

“Alongside working on competition structures that can help to alleviate this relative lack of game time, one of our priorities has been to re-establish Australia A to provide additional top-flight matches.

“This will help to develop a deeper squad of elite players, as well as giving players some representative experience to take back to their Super Rugby Pacific clubs – which can only be a good thing for Australian rugby.”

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The concept will also provide another level of experience for emerging coaches with Waratahs defence coach Jason Gilmore named to head the side.

Brumbies attack coach Rod Seib, Reds defence coach Michael Todd, and Rebels forwards coach Geoff Parling will be Gilmore’s assistants.

Selection in Australia A may affect players with multiple heritage as under World Rugby rules a senior team captures eligibility.

This would affect players who wish to make themselves available for selection for another country before next year’s Rugby World Cup in France.

2022 Pacific Nations Cup schedule (kick-off in local time)

July 2:

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Australia A v Samoa in Suva at 1pm

Fiji v Tonga in Suva at 3:30pm

July 9:

Fiji v Australia A in Lautoka (TBC kick-off time)

Samoa v Tonga in Lautoka (TBC kick-off time)

July 16:

Tonga v Australia A in Lautoka (TBC kick-off time)

Fiji v Samoa in Lautoka (TBC kick-off time)

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J
JW 57 minutes ago
Let's be real about these All Blacks

The opening loss to Argentina by 38-30..

Was anything but fine margins, the scoreline was flattering for that game. They were beat in every margin but most emphatically be effort of Argentina. They were slow and likely arrogant in their prep following the England series. You can see the effect on the selection and poor messaging all the playmakers started receiving from the coaching setup there after.


Otherwise though there was also a lot of really good stuff that can too easily be labelled as lucky by people intent on making a point. The team was far from certain and clinical though and the best that can be said of their losses was that they were largely due to some atrocious decisions with cards twice against SA and the neckroll last weekend (you can't take away the 14 point try, that is typical French rugby and to be expected).


This team is good enough to be able to cope with those sorts of difficulties if they could just execute a bit better (but only as well as they have traditionally mind you). Sound selections aside. Some good positivity in this article but we know it's not going to be easy as the ABs have just been trying to return to their DNA after Fosters control but countries like Aussie have a much bigger task in that respect and SA is even trying to change their DNA (again). Those two opponents (along with France obviously) are going to provide some tough competition in seeing who can lead into the 2027 RWC with the best prospects and form behind them.

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