Robinson wants to stay Waratahs captain

Wallabies prop Benn Robinson says he wants the NSW Waratahs captaincy on a full-time basis next Super Rugby season.

Former Australian skipper Rocky Elsom was controversially named captain at the start of the year but it’s been Robinson who has filled the role on the field for the majority of the Waratahs’ disastrous 2012 campaign.

Restricted to only five matches for the season because of injuries, Elsom has already played his last game for the Waratahs and will leave Australia for Japan club rugby.

Five-eighth Daniel Halangahu was named interim skipper for the opening couple of rounds in Elsom’s absence before Robinson took over.

In a season where the Waratahs have recorded a 4-11 win-loss record, the uncertainty over leadership doesn’t seem to have helped heading into Saturday’s final-round clash with Queensland at Suncorp Stadium.

Robinson said sharing the captaincy responsibilities with Elsom had been “challenging”.

The 27-year-old said despite his losing record, he would put his hand up as the club’s full-time captain in 2013.

“Yeah I’d love to,” Robinson said at the team’s Friday captain’s run.

“It’s been a challenging year. To have Rocky as our captain and for me to be captain during the games is challenging out there.

“I think for me the biggest part was going out there and putting on for the boys. I’m still learning in this position as I’m still learning as a rugby player as well. But I enjoy that challenge and I think it’s going to be a challenge for me for years to come.”

The Waratahs have formed a habit of throwing away leads in tight encounters.

Robinson said that was a difficult problem to face as a new and part-time captain.

“I haven’t had too many wins, only a few as captain, so it’s tough,” he said.

“If we’re losing games by 40 points, that would be easy. You could isolate areas you need to look at.

“But three or four points here and there, it’s hard to really narrow down where we need to get better … that’s the hardest part.”

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