Australian squad: Owen Finegan, try scorer in Australia's victory over France in the 1999 World Cup final, was the biggest omission from the Wallaby squad charged with retaining the Webb Ellis Trophy.
The 55-cap veteran failed to prove his form during the Tri-Nations and was cut by coach Eddie Jones from the final 30, along with prop Patricio Noriega and inside centre Steve Kefu.
Nathan Grey and Morgan Turinui were selected in the centres ahead of Kefu, while Jones opted for Noriega's NSW team-mates Al Baxter and the uncapped Matt Dunning to complete the prop quartet.
When ARU chief executive John O'Neill read out the squad at a hotel on Sydney's Coogee Beach waterfront, it would normally have raised a collective eyebrow given the exclusions. But a leak to the press two days ago had steeled the rugby world for the news that uncapped Queensland loose forward John Roe would be the replacement for injured vice-captain Toutai Kefu, and that Matt Cockbain had got the nod ahead of Finegan.
The only surprise was Jones's decision to share Kefu's vice-captaincy between David Giffin and Elton Flatley, the Queensland inside centre/outhalf who was axed from the squad to play England in June when he slept through a team commitment after a night on the town.
Jones said Flatley had made the best of a disastrous situation - not least because it left Australia without an outhalf to oppose Jonny Wilkinson - and his attitude warranted a leadership role.
The toughest pick for Jones was to relegate Finegan to the stand-by list, particularly after he had worked so hard to recover from a shoulder reconstruction.
"The most difficult decision was Owen," Jones said. "He's been an outstanding player for Australia for a number of years. We felt we gave him the opportunity to get back where he needed to be but unfortunately he was a little bit short on form."
Grey filled in for Flatley at outhalf against England, but that was the only international action he saw all season and it appeared his World Cup hopes had disintegrated.
The squad contains 10 members of the victorious 1999 squad, including captain George Gregan, Matt Burke and Stephen Larkham, but has a sprinkling of bright young talent in Roe, Baxter, Dunning, open-side flanker David Croft and utility back Matt Giteau.
Meanwhile, Wasps outhalf Alex King has been forced out of contention for a place in England's World Cup squad after suffering a knee injury, coach Clive Woodward said yesterday.
"It is certain that the knee injury precludes him from our thoughts for the World Cup but he has made a huge contribution to our preparations and if his recovery goes well he may be in a position to be on standby during the tournament," said Woodward of the player who won his first cap in over two years in England's recent defeat of Wales.
AUSTRALIA SQUAD
BACKS: Chris Latham (Queensland), Joe Roff (ACT), Matt Burke (NSW) Wendell Sailor (Queensland), Lote Tuqiri (NSW), Mat Rogers (NSW), Stirling Mortlock (ACT), Morgan Turinui (NSW), Nathan Grey (NSW), Elton Flatley (Queensland), Stephen Larkham (ACT), Matt Giteau (ACT) George Gregan (captain, ACT), Chris Whitaker (NSW).
FORWARDS: David Lyons (NSW), John Roe (Queensland), George Smith (ACT), Phil Waugh (NSW), David Croft (Queensland), Matt Cockbain (Queensland), David Giffin (ACT), Nathan Sharpe (Queensland), Dan Vickerman (NSW), Justin Harrison (NSW), Ben Darwin (ACT), Al Baxter (NSW), Bill Young (ACT), Matt Dunning (NSW), Brendan Cannon (NSW), Jeremy Paul (ACT).
STAND-BY LIST: Glenn Panoho (Queensland), Adam Freier (NSW), Patricio Noriega (NSW), Owen Finegan (ACT), Daniel Heenan (Queensland), Scott Fava (ACT), Josh Valentine (Queensland), Steve Kefu (Queensland), Mark Gerrard (ACT).
