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<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>
That is some back-line that the 'Tahs have now!
SourceA host of returning Wallabies have been named in the Waratahs squad for Saturday's pre-season fixture against the Fiji Warriors in Orange.
Twelve players with Test match experience have been selected in the starting XV, including off-season recruits Berrick Barnes and Drew Mitchell. Prop Benn Robinson is the only international to be rested for the second trial of the year.
Barnes has been named to start the match at flyhalf in the first appearance for his new team, with Kurtley Beale named at inside centre.
Tom Carter will start the match at outside centre, with Mitchell, Lachie Turner and Sosene Anesi making up the back three. Luke Burgess has been named as starting scrumhalf after Josh Holmes and Brendan McKibbin shared the duties last week in Lismore.
The forward pack is headed by an all international front row of Sekope Kepu, Tatafu Polota-Nau and Al Baxter, and three more Test players in the back row: Dean Mumm, Phil Waugh and Wycliff Palu.
Junior Waratahs lock Kane Douglas will again start at lock after an impressive performance last week, and will be joined by former Leinster forward Cam Jowitt who dons the NSW colours for the first time.
Head Coach Chris Hickey has named a 14-man bench, and has stated his intention to use the next two matches to trial a number of different combinations.
"There's definitely a lot of questions still to be answered in Orange and Canberra in regards to selection for the opening round of the competition," said Hickey.
"In most positions, the effectiveness of certain combinations will go hand in hand with individual performance of the players involved, so we need to make sure we test as many of those combinations as possible in match situations."
Confirming his intention to see every player given their opportunity to push their claims, twelve of the fourteen players on the bench this week were starters in Lismore, with two more impressing from the bench against the Reds.
"After this match nearly every player will have started one of the first two trials and that will give us a good indication going into our final pre-season match against the Brumbies," said Hickey.
"Some of the players on the bench were our most impressive performers in Lismore, which is a sign of how competitive it will be to make the team in 2010."
The Waratahs will wear black armbands and observe a minute's silence prior to kick-off in memory of former Waratah Academy player Dan Robinson.
The squad travels to Orange on Friday ahead of Saturday's trial at Wade Park before returning to Sydney on Sunday.
Pre-Season Match
WARATAHS V FIJI WARRIORS
Saturday 30 January 2010 (Kick-off 7:40pm AEST)
Wade Park, Orange
WARATAHS
15. Sosene Anesi ( Waratahs)
14. Lachie Turner (Eastwood/ Waratahs)
13. Tom Carter (Sydney University/ Waratahs)
12. Kurtley Beale (Northern Suburbs/ Waratahs)
11. Drew Mitchell (Balmain/ Waratahs)
10. Berrick Barnes ( Waratahs)
9. Luke Burgess (Sydney University/ Waratahs)
8. Wycliff Palu (Manly/ Waratahs)
7. Phil Waugh [c] (Sydney University/ Waratahs)
6. Dean Mumm (Sydney University/ Waratahs)
5. Cam Jowitt (Manly/ Waratahs)
4. Kane Douglas (Southern Districts/ Junior Waratahs)
3. Al Baxter (Northern Suburbs/ Waratahs)
2. Tatafu Polota-Nau (Parramatta/ Waratahs)
1. Sekope Kepu (Randwick/ Waratahs)
Reserves
16. Damien Fitzpatrick (Eastwood/ Waratahs)
17. Dan Palmer (Southern Districts/ Waratahs)
18. Hendrik Roodt (Gordon/ Waratahs)
19. Dave Dennis (Sydney University/ Waratahs)
20. Brendan KcKibbin (Eastern Suburbs/ Junior Waratahs)
21. Daniel Halangahu (Sydney University/ Waratahs)
22. Alex Rokobaro (Sydney University/ Junior Waratahs)
23. Jeremy Tilse (Sydney University/ Waratahs)
24. Locky McCaffrey (Eastwood/ Junior Waratahs)
25. Chris Alcock (Gordon/ Waratahs)
26. Josh Holmes (Warringah/ Waratahs)
28. Nemani Nadolo (Manly/ Waratahs)
29. Rory Sidey (West Harbour/ Waratahs)
30. Peter Betham (Sydney University/Wider Training Group)[/b]
That is some back-line that the 'Tahs have now!