2006 Australia rugby union tour of Europe
The 2006 Australian national rugby union team tour to Europe, known in Australia as the 2006 Wallabies Spring Tour, is part of a 2006 end-of-year rugby test series and takes place in November 2006. The tour consist of test matches against Wales, Italy, Ireland and Scotland as well as midweek games against Ireland A, Scotland A and Welsh team, the Ospreys.
The tour is the first time this decade that Captain George Gregan will miss out on a Wallabies tour opting to miss in preparation ahead of the 2007 Rugby World Cup with this Stirling Mortlock was named captain but missed out on the opening match due to injury. Phil Waugh was subsequently named as captain.
On 11 October Wallabies halfback Sam Cordingley announced that he would pull out of the tour to rest a nagging foot injury leaving Australia without its top two halfbacks. Another injury concern for the Wallabies is the injury to Prop Greg Holmes who announced that he was unable to tour due to a neck injury he sustained during training and with this announcement Brumbies prop Nic Henderson was called into the squad.
Squad
Props- Nic Henderson
- Rodney Blake
- Guy Shepherdson
- Al Baxter
- Benn Robinson
- Brendan Cannon
- Tatafu Polota-Nau
- Tai McIsaac
- Stephen Moore
- Nathan Sharpe
- James Horwill
- Mitchell Chapman
- Mark Chisholm
- Alister Campbell
- George Smith
- Rocky Elsom
- Phil WaughVice Captain
- Wycliff Palu
- David Lyons
- Scott Fava
- Stephen Hoiles
- Josh Valentine
- Brett Sheehan
- Stephen Larkham Vice Captain
- Mat Rogers
- Gene Fairbanks
- Matt Giteau
- Stirling Mortlock Captain
- Adam Ashley-Cooper
- Morgan Turinui
- Mark Gerrard
- Lote Tuqiri
- Clyde Rathbone
- Cameron Shepherd
- Chris Latham Vice Captain
- Drew Mitchell
- Scott Staniforth
- Dan Vickerman Injured in Test against Wales. Replaced by Mitchell Chapman
- Hugh McMeniman Injured in Match against Ospreys. Replaced by Scott Fava
- Greg Holmes Injured in Pre Tour Training. Replaced by Nic Henderson
- Sam Cordingley Injured in Pre Tour Training. Replaced by Josh Valentine
- George Gregan Opted not to tour to Prepare for The World Cup. Not included in original squad
The Mathces
| Date | Home team | Score | Away team | Venue | Staus |
| 1 November | Ospreys  | 24-16 | XV | Liberty Stadium, Swansea | Tour Match |
| 4 November | 29-29 | Millennium Stadium, Cardiff | Test Match | ||
| 11 November | 18-25 | ' | Stadio Flaminio, Rome | Test Match | |
| 15 November | 17-24 | XV | Thomond Park, Limerick | Tour Match | |
| 19 November | ' | 21-6 | Lansdowne Road, Dublin | Test Match | |
| 21 November | 20-44 | XV | McDiarmid Park, Perth | Tour Match | |
| 25 November | 15-44 | Murrayfield Stadium, Edinburgh | Test Match |
Matches
----Wales: 15.Kevin Morgan, 14.Gareth Thomas, 13.Tom Shanklin, 12.Gavin Henson, 11.Shane Williams, 10.Stephen Jones, 9.Dwayne Peel, 8.Ryan Jones, 7.Martyn Williams, 6.Jonathan Thomas, 5.Ian Evans, 4.Ian Gough, 3.Adam R. Jones, 2.Matthew Rees, 1.Gethin Jenkins, – replacements: 17.Duncan Jones, 21.James Hook – No entry : 16.T. Rhys Thomas, 18.Alun-Wyn Jones, 19.Gavin Thomas, 20.Mike Phillips, 22.Mark Jones
Australia: 15.Chris Latham, 14.Clyde Rathbone, 13.Lote Tuqiri, 12.Stephen Larkham, 11.Cameron Shepherd, 10.Mat Rogers, 9.Matt Giteau, 8.Wycliff Palu, 7.Phil Waugh, 6.Rocky Elsom, 5.Dan Vickerman, 4.Nathan Sharpe, 3.Rodney Blake, 2.Tai McIsaac, 1.Al Baxter, – replacements: 16.Brendan Cannon, 18.Mark Chisholm, 19.Stephen Hoiles, 20.Josh Valentine – No entry: 17.Benn Robinson, 21.Mark Gerrard, 22.Adam Ashley-Cooper
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Italy: 15.Gert Peens, 14.Marko Stanojevic, 13.Gonzalo Canale, 12.Mirco Bergamasco, 11.Pablo Canavosio, 10.Ramiro Pez, 9.Paul Griffen, 8.Sergio Parisse, 7.Mauro Bergamasco, 6.Alessandro Zanni, 5.Marco Bortolami, 4.Santiago Dellape, 3.Martin Castrogiovanni, 2.Carlo Festuccia, 1.Andrea Lo Cicero, – replacements: 17.Carlos Nieto, 19.Josh Sole – No entry : 16.Leonardo Ghiraldini, 18.Carlo Antonio del Fava, 20.Simon Picone, 21.Andrea Scanavacca, 22.Walter Pozzebon
Australia: 15.Chris Latham, 14.Clyde Rathbone, 13.Stirling Mortlock, 12.Stephen Larkham, 11.Lote Tuqiri, 10.Mat Rogers, 9.Matt Giteau, 8.Wycliff Palu, 7.George Smith, 6.Rocky Elsom, 5.Mark Chisholm, 4.Nathan Sharpe, 3.Guy Shepherdson, 2.Brendan Cannon, 1.Al Baxter, – replacements: 16.Stephen Moore, 17.Nic Henderson, 18.Alister Campbell – No entry: 19.Stephen Hoiles, 20.Josh Valentine, 21.Mark Gerrard, 22.Cameron Shepherd
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Ireland: 15.Geordan Murphy, 14.Shane Horgan, 13.Brian O'Driscoll, 12.Gordon D'Arcy, 11.Denis Hickie, 10.Ronan O'Gara, 9.Isaac Boss, 8.Denis Leamy, 7.David Wallace, 6.Neil Best, 5.Paul O'Connell, 4.Donncha O'Callaghan, 3.John Hayes, 2.Rory Best, 1.Bryan Young, – replacements: 16.Frankie Sheahan, 17.Marcus Horan, 18.Malcolm O'Kelly, 19.Simon Easterby, 20.Peter Stringer, 21.Paddy Wallace, 22.Girvan Dempsey
Australia: 15.Chris Latham, 14.Clyde Rathbone, 13.Lote Tuqiri, 12.Stirling Mortlock, 11.Mark Gerrard, 10.Stephen Larkham, 9.Matt Giteau, 8.Wycliff Palu, 7.Phil Waugh, 6.Rocky Elsom, 5.Mark Chisholm, 4.Nathan Sharpe, 3.Guy Shepherdson, 2.Tai McIsaac, 1.Al Baxter, – replacements: 16.Stephen Moore, 17.Benn Robinson, 18.Alister Campbell, 19.George Smith, 20.Josh Valentine, 21.Mat Rogers, 22.Scott Staniforth
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Scotland: 15.Chris Paterson, 14.Sean Lamont, 13.Marcus di Rollo, 12.Andrew Henderson, 11.Simon Webster, 10.Dan Parks, 9.Mike Blair, 8.David Callam, 7.Kelly Brown, 6.Simon Taylor, 5.Scott Murray, 4.Alastair Kellock, 3.Euan Murray, 2.Dougie Hall, 1.Gavin Kerr, – replacements: 16.Ross Ford, 17.Allan Jacobsen, 18.Jim Hamilton, 19.Alasdair Strokosch, 20.Rory Lawson, 21.Phil Godman, 22.Hugo Southwell
Australia: 15.Chris Latham, 14.Mark Gerrard, 13.Stirling Mortlock, 12.Scott Staniforth, 11.Lote Tuqiri, 10.Stephen Larkham, 9.Matt Giteau, 8.David Lyons, 7.George Smith, 6.Rocky Elsom, 5.Alister Campbell, 4.Nathan Sharpe, 3.Guy Shepherdson, 2.Stephen Moore, 1.Benn Robinson, – replacements: 16.Tatafu Polota-Nau, 17.Al Baxter, 18.Mark Chisholm, 19.Phil Waugh, 20.Wycliff Palu, 21.Josh Valentine, 22.Mat Rogers
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