Dennis to lead Waratahs
SYDNEY, June 14, 2013 (AFP) Wallaby backrower Dave Dennis will lead a New South Wales Waratahs team boasting four international players against the British and Irish Lions in Sydney on Saturday, a week before the first Test.
Dennis and Test centre Rob Horne were released from the Wallaby training camp to bolster a Waratahs side missing 11 internationals through Australian commitments and injury.
The Waratahs have also been bolstered by the selection Friday of openside flanker Pat McCutcheon, who has recovered from a knee injury. Coach Michael Cheika has been able to select 63-cap Wallabies winger Drew Mitchell at fullback and prop Paddy Ryan, who made his Test debut on last year's European tour against France, at tight-head.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and we want it to be something worth remembering,” said Cheika, who previously coached Irish province Leinster. “We're going to go for it, we can't be looking for a glorious defeat. As a player, you want to say that you played in an international-level fixture and you made something of it.
“We're playing against a team with a massive artillery.Obviously I'd like to have all our international players available but fair play to the ARU (Australian Rugby Union) for giving us Dave and Rob back and for releasing Bernard Foley and Matt Lucas from the Sevens camp.”Apart from Dennis and Horne, the Waratahs have eight other players in camp with the Wallabies ahead of next week's first Test in Brisbane with three other internationals sidelined through injury.