NSW Waratahs coach Chris Hickey is confident Dan Vickerman’s hopes of a Wallabies’ Tri-Nations and World Cup return won’t be harmed by lack of Super Rugby game time.
NSW don’t expect for lock Vickerman to make his first appearances for them until early June, which would give him just three Super matches plus any finals games to press his claims for the Wallabies going into the big 2011 international season.
Vickerman quit NSW and international rugby in 2008 to study economics at Cambridge University.
But the 31-year-old veteran of 52 Tests from 2002-08 is returning after being sounded by Wallabies coach Robbie Deans last year and signing with Australian rugby again till the end of 2012.
Hickey believes Vickerman’s experience and class can compensate for the lack of a full competitive Super rugby season and he can play at a third World Cup tournament.
“With the experience he brings to that position and going into a World Cup year I think he’d be a strong candidate,” Hickey said.
“We’re just going to have to wait and see there.
“I know he’s working really hard over the next six months with his own personal training and he’ll be playing some games over there in England.
“By the time he gets here in June he won’t be starting from scratch, he should have a pretty good fitness base.”
The Waratahs have given Vickerman a training program and he will remain in regular contact with the club’s strength and conditioning coach Peter McDonald.
Vickerman will play matches for Cambridge before he jets back, and Hickey is convinced time away from the top level will be a benefit to the classy lock.
“Before he left to go and study, if you were picking a world 15 you’d probably pick him in one of the lock positions,” he said.
“That sort of experience is really valuable to you and we’re looking forward to seeing him back with us later in the season.
“That break will finish up prolonging his career. Having a break like that freshens you up physically and mentally and I think he’ll come back very hungry to play some footy having not played for a while.
“We’d have three or four games left to play (when he returns) and at that stage of the season with injuries and everything else it would be a real boost for us to have someone like Dan come on board.”
Denby
Guest
Vicks was a great player. Loads of talent and a real enforcer, something the Wallabies have been missing. It is not like we have actually found anybody to replace him. Douglas & Simmons are good but not at the same level Vickerman was at. Hopefully they all get there but there are not at the moment and it is a world cup year.
Phil
Guest
Dean Mumm was a school boy "prodigy" who happened to captain an awesome premiership winning Kings School 1st XV hence he made all the rep teams and therefore had a saloon passage to super rugby. Oh it also helps when your old man is on the ARU board -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
Ben S
Roar Guru
Hmm... I don't really think the pace of the game is an issue, it's the more the fact that the Test players who leave the SH aren't training regularly with their respective Test sides, nor playing Test rugby, hence they're simply not as fit as they were when playing Super rugby. We've seen with various Springbok players that play in Europe that they are more than capable of playing Test rugby. Aside from that not many SH Test players return to play Super rugby so it's not really a fair analysis. Also, Chris Jack was utterly hopeless in England. By all accounts he'd basically decided to retire, and Luke McAlister has been injury prone since his return. Vickerman's problem is that he hasn't been playing rugby of any decent standard. I also tend to agree with Eric. I don't think he's suited for contemporary rugby.
p.Tah
Guest
Don't worry fellas, Vicks will be fine. We'll all be wondering how we did without him... Oh that's right... We did need him... Thank God he's coming back.
david
Guest
Agree it will be a tough ask for Vicks to get up to speed after so few games back in Aus. But it's understandable they're talking him up. Will surely put some pressure on the incumbents to lift their game. He could be a real hard man. I'd forgotten. I was watching a replay of a test from a few years ago and it really stood out what a mongrel he could be at the breakdown. Insane cleanouts. No slouch in the lineout and scrum either.
Working Class Rugger
Guest
Rusty True. Though from what I saw of Douglas especially his little run in the Bulls vs Tahs match last season he comes from a fairly mobile base to begin with.
Rusty
Roar Guru
Interesting though s the fact Botha shed the muscle Douglas has put on so he could adapt better to the current rules...
Working Class Rugger
Guest
His performances were by no means terrible, however, they weren't up to the level many expected from a guy who had just recently had a very good debut year for the Tahs. It seems we now know why. Looking forward to see him in action down in Nowra. As for the Bakkies comparison. Sort of. Without the thuggery.
Gladfop
Guest
Jameswm - He wanted to play for Gloucester but Cambridge said no, so he played for the college against Oxford etc. Not guaranteed to get you test match fit. Has Horwill recovered anybody know?
jameswm
Guest
I agree with you PK - I can see Vicks making it back to the Wallabies, but as others have said it might be harder to start for the Tahs. Mumm could move to 6 I guess, but it all depends on form and injury (to others) at the time. I also agree that the softer years he's had will work to his benefit, not detriment. He won't be exhausted. Look how Warnie's (enforced) year off helped him prolong his career and freshen up. What I have no clue about is how much rugby he's been playing over there.
jameswm
Guest
yep - and take a leaf out of the Bakkies Botha book. I didn't think he was that lacklustre in the Shute Shield, but it would take the edge off your game if you were in the middle of a hard training regime.
Working Class Rugger
Guest
"mind you – kane Douglas is still growing – now 202cm and 123kgs – and a trim 123kgs from the picture I saw. And good attitude." He put on 8kg of beef since the end of Super Rugby. It explains his lacklustre Shute Shield as to put on that much muscle and maintain his mobility the levels of physical training required are exhausting to say the least. Even with the right diet. Looks good. Hopefully, he'll put his new frame to good use and bash the opposition up and down the field.
Peter K
Guest
I do think he will make the starting Waraths AND he will ake the Wallaby squad. At the Tahs all he has to do is push Mumm out who is a crap lock. I do agree other coming back from the NH have struggled, BUT this has a lot to do with how many games they play in Heiniken etc. It is a very hard , especially for forwards, grind week in week out. Vickerman on the other hand has had it easy so mentally and physically he will not be exhausted. As to the Wallabies. Vickerman will make the squad fo at least 1 reason, he is the supreme maestro at lineout, so even if he doesnt make the team he will be there to impart a lot of knowledge. Sharp is older than Vickerman I can easily see Vickerman getting past Sharpe. Sharp is a lot slower and softer than Vickerman.
wallythefly
Guest
what so every single article about him has to mention it!
Invictus
Guest
He'll have 3 or 4 games to make his case and he will need a storming performance in each one to even be considered for a wallaby berth. A bridge too far...
Jason
Roar Guru
Not a glowing endorsement for the other Australian locks if he does become a Wallaby after a couple of games. Is he really that talented? I don't believe so.
Next year!
Guest
Well at least they spent their cash on a proven rugby player this time - so glad they didn't spend a bundle of cash on a top line league player which is only a gamble at best. Yes the ghosts of thevery expensive Timanah Tahwho experiment run deep.................................... Can Vickerman make the Wallabies - recent experience says no ...but I am betting he does .
jameswm
Guest
pretty good isurance mind you - kane Douglas is still growing - now 202cm and 123kgs - and a trim 123kgs from the picture I saw. And good attitude. What a shame he can't play a full season with Vicks, and learn from the master. Our other lock spot is the issue - Vicks back later, Caldwell taking the year off - it'll be Mumm I guess. Not a bad pairing - one taller, one massive, one quicker. Mumm mightn't excel in tests but he's a good S15 player. Let's hope Cliffy Palu gets back to his best. Mowen or Dennis at 6, Gordon's Alcock at 7 - sorry, I mean skipper Phil Waugh. And the backline is awesome with Burgo, Barnes, KB, Turner and Mitchell. I'd like to see Kane Douglas or Peter Kimlin press for Sharpe's spot this season. Douglas is a tough bugger, and could form a nice mean pairing with Jimmy Horwill. In fact I'd almost say that someone like Douglas hitting his straps could be one of the most significant things that can happen for the Wallabies - that and either Slipper or Alexander really standing up at tight head (so to speak). Because the backline is sublime.
Rusty
Roar Guru
Jack also had the added benefit of playing for Western Province in the Currie cup prior to the Super rugby season. There simply isnt enough time for Vickerman to get into shape and playing fitness prior to the World cup. At best he would be insurance against injury of a few of the starting locks
Gary Russell-Sharam
Guest
I have serious doubts that Vickerman will be up to speed for the WC after just 3 games of Super Rugby, I would even go so far as to suggest if you went on form how would he even get a game at Super level in the first place? Is Hickey going to kick out an in form lock at the pointy end of the season to give Vickerman some gratuitous game time???? How does anyone think this will eventuate. Chris Jack came back and started at the beginning of the season not 2/3 of the way through. Even allowing for all my wildest imagination I can't see how this can work out. If Vickerman wanted to play in the WC he should have come back now. I realise he can't because of his study committments but sometimes in life you can't have your cake and eat it too. The decision to sign him up to a ARU contract is quite ludicrus, it looks to me like someone decided to give Vickerman a pension so it would be less hardship for him to come back and get started back here in Australia. I for the life of me can't see any long term benefit from this signing. The exception being that next year post WC he might (only might) make the starting side for the Waratahs and assist them to again fall just short of the final.