On Saturday, June 6, 1998, Steven Larkham punctuated an unlikely switch from fullback to five-eighth with a hat trick of tries in the Wallabies 76-0 rout of England in Brisbane.
Larkham’s conversion from fullback to five-eighth proved to be a stroke of genius on Rod McQueen’s part, which contributed to one of the great periods in modern Australian rugby.
By most accounts, Larkham was not an obvious candidate for five-eighth – certainly not in any classic sense of pass and kick. However, breaking the mold worked out rather nicely. See this article for more.
Included in the several persistent headaches confronting the Australian selectors today, are the lack of ‘grab it by the scruff of the neck’ candidates for scrum half and fullback.
We have a handful of candidates for both positions that are competent. None, however, seem capable of putting the issue to rest. Perhaps it is time to pull a McQueen-Monty Python and try something completely different.
My initial suggestion along these lines is to consider someone like Quade Cooper as a scrumhalf. Certainly not because he plays like one now, but because he is one of the few players I can think of who can really throw a long, flat, hard pass.
He, as much as several others, appears to have a promising future as a five-eighth or center. However, on reflection, Cooper also seems to be slipping behind Matt Toomua on an already longish list of ‘promising’ five-eighth’s.
Please note, since several recent posts have gone wildly off topic, this is:
- NOT about Steven Larkham – his legacy is secure.
- NOT starting a case for Cooper as a scrumhalf.
- About suggesting some creative position switching to use the talent we have to build better, more robust Super 14 and Wallabies teams.
So, what do you think?
Enjoy sports? Enjoy a bargain? All Sports Online has your favourite sporting brands at up to 70% off. Online only, premium quality sporting goods and merchandise at discounted prices. Get a deal now.
Do you have what it takes to become a sports writer? Write for the roar
Rugby Union articles
- Will Super Rugby crowds continue their slide? (201)
- Will South African rugby force a Super 21 by 2018? (173)
- The real story of how John O’Neill turned Manchester City down (70)
- Dan Parks and the unsolved questions of expat rugby (65)
- Australian teams at Super disadvantage (58)
- Pocock set to be named new Force skipper (56)
- Can the ‘Tahs win the battle after losing the Waugh? (51)
- France turns to Parra and Trinh-Duc
- Rebels look to lift for formidable Blues in rugby trial
- Mr Fix-It Lucas wants to nail down No.10
- Force roost loses ‘Mother Hen’ Sharpe
- Victory beat Mariners with Kewell winner
- Waratahs romp to 83-5 trial win over Samoa A
- Quade Cooper’s return to the Reds goes up a gear
- Wales show Southern Hemisphere how to play running rugby (29)
- What opening matches of Six Nations taught us (19)
- Will Super Rugby crowds continue their slide? (201)
- Clinical Chiefs cost rusty Rebels in Corio (9)
- Six Nations shows rugby is a parochial game at heart (5)
- Goose’s Super Rugby up-and-comer XV for 2012 (29)
- What does the future hold for the Six Nations (50)
Lindommer said | May 30th 2009 @ 3:16am | Report comment
Cooper at five-eighth? No. And certainly not at half-back.
Deans has none of the unconventionals about him Macqueen had. Robbie’s a thoughtful, very careful and thorough man and he’s quite conventional in his expectations of his rugby teams. If players don’t perform in their selected positions their errors are corrected on the training paddock. I doubt if Deans would ever do anything left-of-centre.
ozxile said | May 30th 2009 @ 5:31am | Report comment
Lindommer. Read the article. I did not suggest Cooper at 5/8 – that ridiculous headline is the result of one of the Roar’s editor’s brain explosions.
In any case, is criticism of an example really the best you can do? Furthermore, unless you are Robbie Dean in disguise you have no business projecting your own lack of imagination on to him. He did not get to where he is today by being the drone you suggest he is.
Jerry said | May 30th 2009 @ 7:04am | Report comment
Yes please, as an All Black fan I wholeheartedly support Cooper at 10 for the Wallabies in place of Matt Giteau.
Sully said | May 30th 2009 @ 7:42am | Report comment
Lucky you put that note in about staying on topic.
I think it has merit as a talking point. he does have a beautiful pass and an eye for a gap. I can imagine him playing there but I doubt it will ever happen.
Dan the Main Man said | May 30th 2009 @ 8:20am | Report comment
I think Cooper’s amazing footwork would make him a very dangerous halfback. For any team that has even the slightest of weaknesses defending around the ruck, Cooper would be real threat. Great suggestion ozxile.
GilesG said | May 30th 2009 @ 10:10am | Report comment
YES!
whenever i sit sit and ponder who id put in my wallaby XV i always think of players by what position they play at super 14.
At halfback and fullback you are completely right. some creativity is needed unless someone throws their had up this season with a couple of blinders.
one to consider!
the prodigal 5/8 Kurtley at fullback?? he is slowly learning to tackle (in the tahs second last game of the season he was in my fantasy team and racked up 8 tackles and only missed 1 or 2 ) and at fullback his tackling will not be called on as frequently.
hes got a vision for chip and chases.
AND!!
i was at the under 20′s game vs Uruguay last night where he showed some nice form out wide (kurtley is playing 15 for them) where long passing is not called on. he set up and few very good runs with horne outside him, received the ball from opposition kicks and made line breaks, and put a few good kicks through for wingers to chase. and he does have some finisher like pace on him.
thats one im sure Deans will have his eye on.
what do people think of that?
Who Needs Melon said | May 30th 2009 @ 10:22am | Report comment
ozxile
You’ve not been done any favours by the headline (which I know wasn’t your choice) and by your list of out-of-scope items.
In the backs I actually think Burgess is ok at 9 and while we don’t have too many really outstanding 9s, I think Genia could go alright and so not too tempted to be creative in that spot. Ditto I think we are alright with positions 10 through 14.
I think our major shortcoming in the backs at the moment is 15. Hence the push to try O’Connor there… which I think is a far call. We really miss a good classy ball-player with a booming boot (Latham, Gerrard, Burke). Unfortunately none of our current crop of wingers or other backs really has a booming boot… except possibly Giteau and Barnes and I think we are better off having them at 10 and 12. Quade Cooper has been tried at fullback at Super 14 level and is another reasonably option there…
… but unfortunately, call me blinkered, but I can’t see any McQueen-Larkham-esque positional revelations happening any time soon in our backline.
ozxile said | May 30th 2009 @ 11:46am | Report comment
GilesG, agree that working on Beale at FB seems worth some time invested. Cannot see him playing even backup for the Wallabies for years if ever.
Who Needs Melon, for someone with a creative moniker like yours blinkered is just wrong – so it will not be me calling you anything. Cooper (as Beale) seems likely to miss out on a starting 5/8 spot. In my book he is a very talented young player who has one thing we could really use in a scrum 1/2, a flat bullet pass that can get all the way to the outside center. Scary if he could put the rest of the pieces in place.
Right now he is rather underdone as a 5/8 so underdone as a scrum 1/2 puts him in the same league with all the rest of them – but that pass of his is potentially a game breaker even if all he does is pass, tackle and the occasional booming box kick.
PeterK said | May 30th 2009 @ 12:08pm | Report comment
We are weak in 2 positions in the backline, 12 and 15.
15 has been covered by a few.
We have NOT had a top inside centre since Horan other than Giteau.
AND that Giteau was the Giteau who ran more and took on the defence, not the current Wallaby Giteau shoveling passes and kicking.
If we keep Giteau at 10 then I would like to see a running 12 rather than a second 5/8 like Deans wants who kicks and passes all day like Barnes. Trouble is we have tried a lot of people at 12 and failed. Maybe Cooper at 12, or O’Connor or even Horne. Horne and O’Connor are really really fast off the mark over the first 10 metres being of slight build.
Damn it you could just swap Barnes and Giteau.
sheek said | May 30th 2009 @ 5:40pm | Report comment
PeterK,
How are you going, old mate? You make a valid & pertinent point about Australia not having a quality inside centre since Horan (other than Giteau).
Usually when I do my ‘all-time’ selections, I pick Lynagh as my second best #12 to Horan, & he only played 5 of his 72 tetsts at inside centre. It’s not because there aren’t any other worthy candidates, but no-one else stands out demanding to be selected.
Getting back to the present, I’ve always considered Giteau a better #10 than #12, which probably cuts across the grain of most people. And it’s true Deans is looking at a first & second five-eighth combo with Gits & Barnes. But you’re possibly right, just swap them around again.
O’Connor is apparently being groomed for fullback, while Horne apparently has a defensive frailty which he needs to fix. Tahu anyone???
Oxzile,
I know you were only making suggestions, but Cooper at scrumhalf doesn’t appeal to me, although I haven’t given it the same thought as you.
Back to 1998, & McQueen’s left-field decision to elevate Larkham from fullback to flyhalf. When fully fit, he had the imperious Burke secure at #15. And a young Latham was showing a ton of promise.
Number 10 was a real problem. David Knox was too old, & Pat Howard was retiring at the end of the year. Rod Kafer for all his cerebral gifts, wasn’t considered quick enough for the position long-term, & Manny Edmonds was far too inconsistent. Finally, young Elton Flatley was developing too slowly, & lacked midfield grunt.
McQueen says the last international of 1997 opened his eyes to the possibility of playing Bernie at #10. He was very good in the Scottish game running in heavy traffic, he attacked the line, had a good pass & was a solid defender. The seeds had been sown.
In 2009 things are different. This generation of Wallabies perhaps needs to work on their basic skills & tactical nous. Cooper takes a lot of wrong options at S14, like passes to the wrong man, & running away from supports.
Moving him to scrumhalf won’t immediately solve those problems. Perhaps he should concentrate on his tactical nous first before considering a positional change.