Rookie No.8 Richard Brown shapes as Australia’s silent assassin after being picked to make his Wallabies starting debut in Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup Test against New Zealand.
After impressing coach Robbie Deans with an energetic 47-minute cameo in Australia’s last-up 28-24 loss in Brisbane last month, Brown gets another shot at the All Blacks as the replacement for the injured Wycliff Palu.
A softly spoken country boy off the field, 24-year-old Brown enjoys being the mongrel dog on it and hopes to give the Wallabies pack an aggressive edge at Hong Kong Stadium.
“I think that’s the way anyone wants to play the game. It depends on whether the opposition lets you, I suppose,” he said today.
“I’m just trying to be as prepared as I can be. I’m not sure how long I’m going to be out there, but starting a game should be interesting. The intensity should be up.”
Wary of providing the All Blacks with any ammunition by making any provocative statements, Brown simply admitted to enjoying the calm before the storm.
“I genuinely try to keep as happy and relaxed as I can right up until the point of kick-off,” he said.
“It just makes getting into that game mode a lot easier rather than thinking about it for hours and hours beforehand.
“I do other things – obviously (listen to) music, try to have as many jokes as possible, mainly talk to (Wallabies teammate) Hugh McMeniman because he’s a pretty funny guy, so he keeps your mind off things.”
The Western Force forward said he’d had an inkling he was going to get the call-up, but was nevertheless still on cloud nine after being told yesterday his dream of starting for the Wallabies was about to come to realisation.
“Cliffy hasn’t been training for a while, so I sort of saw it coming,” Brown said.
“But until getting the jersey with the starting number on its back … that will be pretty damn good.
“I’ll just try to make the most of it, I suppose. I’ve been here (to Hong Kong) twice for the sevens, but coming here with the XVs is better.
“To be touring with the guys every day is a complete buzz, just to be walking around here.”
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