Spiro Zavos of the Sydney Morning Herald commends Australia head coach Robbie Deans on his decision to take the captain's armband away from Rocky Elsom and hand it to James Horwill.
"The Wallabies' lacklustre run into the World Cup tournament has been electrified with the appointment of James Horwill as the captain. There had been a disconnect between the brilliant play of the Reds in winning this year's Super Rugby tournament and the Wallabies' World Cup campaign.
"Now this disconnect has been fixed. The new captain will bring the Reds' enthusiasm and flair to the national side. As Will Genia points out, Horwill's leadership is of the inspirational kind. He leaves the back play decisions to Genia and Quade Cooper, the two playmakers who guided the Reds and now the Wallabies.
"Put into this context, the elevation of Horwill could well be a master stroke. This season's results, a loss to Samoa, two victories over South Africa and a comprehensive loss to New Zealand, were not good enough going into the World Cup tournament. The Wallabies were outmuscled in the contact areas, especially in the middle of the field. And the fizz and esprit that marked the Reds' game seemed to be missing from the Wallabies."
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