McCabe ready to step up for Wallabies
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Pat McCabe has answered the call from Wallabies coach Robbie Deans to add more dimensions to his game and says he’s ready to step up should Wales try to shut down Australia’s playmakers in their second rugby Test in Melbourne.
The Six Nations champions have made clear their intent to put the brakes on Australia’s game-breaking halfback Will Genia and five-eighth Berrick Barnes at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.
Inside centre McCabe was known for his hard-running non-passing style but has evolved into a much more dynamic player.
“Last year, I played a fairly limited game in the Wallabies,” McCabe said.
“I’ve definitely been working hard on a bit more passing and a bit more calling and helping out with ball play a bit more in terms of communication.
“Robbie’s always keen for us to keep developing our game, evolving them and improving them so he was certainly keen for me to pass and kick a bit more.”
He credited his Brumbies coach Jake White and the club’s backs coach, former Wallabies great Stephen Larkham, with helping him add more strings to his bow.
Should Wales succeed in shutting down Australia’s halves, McCabe – whose second-half try helped Australia clinch victory in the first Test – said he would use the opportunity to insert himself even more in the game.
“I guess if they tighten up in that area, then there’s space somewhere else,” he said.
“That will be mine and Rob Horne’s role to communicate that to Berrick and see what options we take there.”
The 24-year-old, who played wing and fullback before last year’s conversion to the No.12 jersey, said he was feeling far more settled in the role.
But not settled enough to feel like it’s his own.
“I’d love to but I think I’ve got a fair way to go before it’s my own but I’m growing,” McCabe said.
He said the Wallabies expected Wales to play a more expansive game on Saturday night as they attempted to level the series after the 27-19 loss at Suncorp Stadium.
“It was something they did in patches last game and were pretty successful with.
“They might throw it around a bit more but, if we’re effective at the breakdown and in our first-up tackles, that shouldn’t be too much of an issue.”
The Wallabies will have their final training session at Etihad Stadium on Friday morning and hope to give Horne (head) and prop Sekope Kepu (arm) the all-clear to take their place in the line-up.
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- Pat McCabe, robbie deans, Rugby Union, Wales rugby, wallabies
June 15th 2012 @ 8:26pm
murph said | June 15th 2012 @ 8:26pm | Report comment
“Last year, I played a fairly limited game in the Wallabies,” McCabe said.
The guy admits it himself, yet everyone who said it at the time was either ignored or howled down. This is exactly the same as McCalman’s admission after the world cup that he didn’t know what he was doing at openside against Ireland.
June 15th 2012 @ 9:26pm
Markus said | June 15th 2012 @ 9:26pm | Report comment
The only people I remember being ignored were those claiming McCabe should be drawn and quartered for being the the worst player in the history of sport.
June 15th 2012 @ 10:18pm
murph73 said | June 15th 2012 @ 10:18pm | Report comment
No. People weren’t saying that. They were saying that he was a good player but too limited to play at international level and that there were better choices at 12.
June 16th 2012 @ 12:26am
Skills & Techniques said | June 16th 2012 @ 12:26am | Report comment
Rob Horne is a superb defender and will soon have his time in the sun. Soon we will all be going on about how brilliant he is!
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June 16th 2012 @ 1:16am
murph73 said | June 16th 2012 @ 1:16am | Report comment
Nonsense. His tackle completion rate is only 68% for the S15 season. It has improved very slightly over the last 5 games to 72% but it’s still quite poor and his last two games have netted just below 70%. He has the worst defensive record of any centre in the comp with 28 missed tackles and is equal 4th in the entire comp. His inclusion in the Australian team is a total joke.
June 17th 2012 @ 3:47am
wallaby fan said | June 17th 2012 @ 3:47am | Report comment
I thought Horne was pretty good tonight M73. What say you know having so bluntly written off a 22 yo kid with a big future in the game?
June 18th 2012 @ 11:39pm
murph73 said | June 18th 2012 @ 11:39pm | Report comment
His defence was good but his attack was appalling. He happened to be on the end of a good move from Barnes, but so what? Did he pass the ball once? Did either centre for that matter? There were at least two occasions where he ran directly into Digby’s space thereby killing off a move by cramping his winger into the sideline.
As with McCabe, Horne is a good player but he simply does not deserve a gig in the Wallaby jumper when there are better options.
June 19th 2012 @ 1:07am
murph73 said | June 19th 2012 @ 1:07am | Report comment
A 22yo is not a kid and, even if he was, that shoudn’t somehow make him any less open to criticism. What are you, his Dad?