Horwill returns to captain Australia for Lions series

Queensland Reds lock James Horwill was named skipper and Scott Sio became the fourth uncapped player to join the party when Australia coach Robbie Deans finalised his 31-man squad for the British and Irish Lions Test series.

Deans announced the controversial elements of his squad selection on Sunday, ruling out the inclusion of outhalf Quade Cooper and welcoming Kurtley Beale back to the fold despite his battle with alcohol-related issues.

The other players included in the squad in addition to the 25 initially picked last month were lock Hugh McMeniman, fit-again winger Digby Ioane, centre Pat McCabe and utility forward Peter Kimlin.

Deans said the decision to pick Beale was helped by his versatility and made in agreement with his counsellors, whose work will continue while he is in the squad.

“He showed that as recently as last year’s spring tour when he performed outstandingly and led the team from flyhalf in adverse circumstances against many of the opposition players we now face again,” Deans said in a news release.

“His work last week during the first camp supported our contention that it was not too soon for him to get started again, from either a physical or a mental stand point.

“His physical state is a testament, both to how hard he has worked, but also his desire to get started again.”

Horwill has held the captaincy when fit since assuming the role in a shock decision made on the eve on the 2011 World Cup, and his resumption of the role after missing last year’s international season was no surprise.

The inclusion of Sio in the squad is more of a shock, given the quality and experience of the Lions props and that the 21-year-old is still in his first full season of Super Rugby with the ACT Brumbies.

“Scott has had a remarkable year,” Deans said of the Sydney-born son of Samoa prop Tevita Sio.

“While he is still developing his game, his work rate around the field, impact in contact and in defence, and the raw power he brings to his set piece indicated to us that he was ready to get underway.”

Left winger Ioane, who would have been in the original party but for injury, was rated “touch and go” by the Wallabies for the Test series after an operation on his knee last month.

“Ioane’s attendance at last week’s camp allowed medical staff to assess the progress on the rehabilitation of his right knee following surgery, clearing the way for his involvement, with a return date to be determined as his training load increases,” read the statement.

Hard-running, big-tackling McCabe has enjoyed more than his fair share of injuries over the last couple of years but has also been a Deans favourite at inside centre when fit.

McMeniman, who can also play at flanker, was more of a bolter, having won the last of his 21 caps in 2008, while Kimlin, without a cap since his second appearance in 2009, is rewarded for his ability to play at lock, blindside flanker and number eight.

The loss of Sitaleki Timani and Scott Higginbotham to injury left Australia light on bigger forwards to populate the back two rows of the scrum, while scrumhalf Nic White’s shoulder injury left Nick Phipps unchallenged as understudy to Will Genia.

Luke Burgess, fresh off the plane after two years in France, will train with the squad, however, and could get a chance to add to his 37 caps if there is an injury to either of the halfbacks.

Another player training but not technically part of the squad is hooker James Hanson, who played for Queensland Reds in last Saturday’s 22-12 defeat to the Lions in Brisbane.

“Certainly our recent experience with injury highlights the need to prepare with extensive cover to ensure relatively seamless change should it be required,” Deans said.

Meanwhile, flanker Beau Robinson has been ruled out of the Combined New South Wales-Queensland Country squad to play the Lions in Newcastle on Tuesday after picking up a head injury during the Reds’ match against the tourists.

New South Wales Country centre Ben Greentree was also ruled out due to injury, the Australian Rugby Union said.

Jarrard Butler, Robinson’s Reds team-mate, has been named at openside while Queensland Country’s Shaun McCarthy will replace Greentree among the replacements.

AUSTRLIA (Squad for Test series against British & Irish Lions): Ben Alexander (Brumbies), Adam Ashley-Cooper (NSW Waratahs), Berrick Barnes (NSW Waratahs), Kurtley Beale (Melbourne Rebels), Nick Cummins (Western Force), Dave Dennis (NSW Waratahs), Kane Douglas (NSW Waratahs), Saia Fainga’a (Queensland Reds), Israel Folau (NSW Waratahs), Will Genia (Queensland Reds), Liam Gill (Queensland Reds), Michael Hooper (NSW Waratahs), Rob Horne (NSW Waratahs), James Horwill (Queensland Reds), Digby Ioane (Queensland Reds), Sekope Kepu (NSW Waratahs), Peter Kimlin (Brumbies), Christian Leali’ifano (Brumbies), Pat McCabe (Brumbies), Ben McCalman (Western Force), Hugh McMeniman (Western Force), Stephen Moore (Brumbies), Ben Mowen (Brumbies), James O’Connor (Melbourne Rebels), Wycliff Palu (NSW Waratahs), Nick Phipps (Melbourne Rebels), Benn Robinson (NSW Waratahs), Rob Simmons (Queensland Reds), Scott Sio (Brumbies), James Slipper (Queensland Reds), Joe Tomane (Brumbies).

COMBINED NSW-QUEENSLAND COUNTRY (v Lions, Newcastle, Tuesday, 10.30am): Nathan Trist; Alex Gibbon, Lewie Catt, Tareta-Junior Siakisini, Tom Cox; Angus Roberts, Michael Snowden; Tim Davidson (capt), Jarrad Butler, Richard Stanford; Blake Enever, Phoenix Battye; Tim Metcher, Josh Mann-Rae, Haydn Hirsimaki.

Replacements: Tom Kearney, Dylan Evans, Rikki Abraham, Rory Arnold, Trent Dyer, Adam McCormack, Shaun McCarthy, Dale Ahwang.