Former Australian captain Nathan Sharpe is joining the Wallabies’ coaching staff to help prepare the team during the British and Irish Lions series in June and July.
Recognised for his excellence at the lineout, former second rower Sharpe will work with forwards coach Andrew Blades under head coach Robbie Deans for the week leading into each of the three Tests.
Sharpe played 116 Tests for Australia as a second rower before bringing down the curtain on his 11-year international career following last year’s Spring Tour to Europe.
“It was nice to be asked to be involved. I’m looking forward to doing all I can to help get the team ready for what is coming,” Sharpe says.
Although he harbours no regrets at having drawn the curtain down on his playing career the year before the Lions arrived; Sharpe says the prospect of donning the track suit again to play his part as a consultant to the coaching staff was too tempting to turn down.
“It’s a once every 12 years opportunity isn’t it?” Sharpe says.
“I’d like to have played for Australia against the Lions but it wasn’t to be. The fact that you can play for 11 seasons at Test level as I did and not get to play against them shows both how rare the opportunity is, but also how much of a privilege it will be for the guys that get to represent the Wallabies in this series.”
Qantas Wallabies coach Robbie Deans says the decision to involve Sharpe was a straight forward one.
“It’s appropriate,” Deans says.
“Perhaps the only difference from the role he had last year is that he won’t be putting his boots on. His experience, leadership and tactical nous will be available to both the playing group and the coaching staff as it was last year. That’s a great resource for us to have, given the unique nature of the British & Irish Lions.
“It also provides him with an opportunity he deserves to have an active role with the Wallabies in what will be a very special series.”
(with AAP)
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