This season has been a contrasting one for the Brumbies two dynamic young flankers, Michael Hooper and Colby Faingaa.
Both are talented, emerging players – Hooper is 20 and Faingaa is 21 (tomorrow) – and both have battled to be the heir of ACT and Wallaby legend George Smith.
Both made their Super Rugby debuts back in 2010 as replacements for Smith as teenagers. At the moment, Hooper is far ahead after some impressive performances in Super Rugby in 2012 so far.
He was all over the park in the Brumbies win over the then-unbeaten Highlanders last weekend, scoring an opportunistic try and terrorising the Kiwis at the breakdown.
Faingaa, younger brother of the Reds twins Saia and Anthony, has been out of action since the Brumbies second trial game of the year. He picked up an ankle injury and is still a week-by week proposition, and is expected to be back sometime in April.
In his absence the baby Brumbies have been firing, recording three wins from four games and surprising everyone. Hooper has been one of their standouts, starting against the Highlanders and Chiefs and coming off the bench against the Cheetahs and Force.
Faingaa will find it tough to get back his spot. Hooper has already been named as a future Wallaby, by his coach Jake White for one.
But the same goes for Faingaa. He comes from good stock – a product of Canberra’s famed St Edmonds College, which has also produced George Gregan, Ricky Stuart and Matt Giteau – not to mention being the youngster of four footballing brothers.
He has been a junior Australian rep player for several years, and captained the Australian Under 20’s team. Hooper captained the same team in Faingaa’s absence.
Faingaa is know for his toughness and his headgear, and like Hooper loves to get stuck in at the breakdown. Faingaa can play both openside and blindside, and is a softly spoken character.
I interviewed him last year for a profile and he struck me as a polite, reserved person who is dedicated to his sport. His old coaches spoke highly of him.
Andy Friend described him as “an outstanding young talent” who has the “strength, the ability and the temperament to play Super Rugby”. Friend said: “If he continues developing the way he has been, playing for Australia isn’t out of the question”.
Faingaa’s former coach at ACT club side Tuggerong Vikings Glen Christini agreed. Christini said Faingaa is “the complete package” and “I definitely can’t see a a reason why he couldn’t play for Australia, if he gets the chance he’ll do well”.
David Pocock may have a mortgage on the number 7 jersey for the Wallabies but the field is wide open for the rile as his back-up. Hooper may have his nose in front for now, but a fit and firing Colby Faingaa would be great for both the Brumbies and Australia.
Don’t discount the chance that both Hooper and Faingaa might be in the green and gold sometime in the future.
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