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Matt Toomua: 'There are five or six guys with Samoan heritage in the Wallabies squad and my dad will be torn'
By Online Editors
The Wallabies' training camp in Noumea for the World Cup has been anything but an island holiday, according to inside back Matt Toomua.
Preparing for the Japan tournament which starts on September 20, Toomua said the Wallabies had been putting in long hours in hot conditions in New Caledonia to ensure they're at their best for the showpiece event. "It's pretty much we get up, train, eat, sleep, repeat," Toomua said. "Sessions starting at 6am for training and late in the night too, but it's been great and everyone is working hard for the World Cup and in the same direction.”
The Wallabies will play a farewell Test against Samoa at Bankwest Stadium in Parramatta on Saturday, which will be extra special for Toomua. His father Ieru was born in Samoa and Toomua said his dad's loyalties would be split.
"The Test is against a very strong Samoan team at home, so it's the last chance for us to play in front of our fans before Japan," Toomua said. "There are five or six guys with Samoan heritage in the squad and my dad will be torn, he'll be wearing half and half, so if I get a chance to play he will be excited as we have a lot of family in both camps."
After playing off the bench in all of Australia's Tests this year Toomua is set for his first start, with inside centre Samu Kerevi likely to be rested. "I'd love a starting spot," the 29-year-old said. "I'm a jack of all trades and filling in where I can but I've been getting a fair few minutes so I'm happy filling in where I can, starting or off the bench."
The Wallabies, who name their team on Thursday, are likely to field a side including fringe players, with a number of their stars rested given their big Test season and training workload.
Young outside back Jack Maddocks and back row Rob Valetini joined an expanded squad this week, with Nick Phipps, Joe Powell, Liam Wright, Tom Banks, Luke Jones and Tatafu Polota-Nau already training with the World Cup contingent.
Flanker David Pocock is expected to have his first Test run of the year after a troublesome calf injury kept him sidelined since March.
- AAP
WATCH: Australia's Matt Toomua talks about facing Samoa
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Latest Comments
This France team is as good as they were when they went into the World Cup as favorites. Have gone through a rebuild of confidence and rediscovered that form.
Neither England nor Ireland will trouble this team in the 6N. That’s my prediction.
And I guess about time too. Considering that France has won but one 6N title in 6 seasons despite being the best French team for generations thriving off the platform which is the Top 14.
They must just beware of peaking too soon and going to Australia over confident.
Which is also why I thinks it’s absolutely bonkers that France isn’t sending there best players to New Zealand next year. Yes, it isn’t Australia, but getting some SH travel experience makes more sense than not.
Go to commentsI'm not meaning to criticise the players, it's a professional game, this is their livelihood so all power to them. I am aiming criticism at the selectors. Italy is the perfect opportunity to give players of the future a game such as Lakai, Love etc. There is a finite number of tests until the next world cup to develop the team, we are wasting one today.
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