Brumbies coach Jake White says former Test No.7 George Smith will come off the bench to run in tandem with David Pocock against the Waratahs in Canberra this Saturday night.
Smith arrived in Canberra last week to rejoin the club on a short-term contract after helping his Japanese club Suntory to their fifth title.
With the duo to go tag team against former Brumbies player and Test back-up flanker Michael Hooper, the Wallabies’ master, incumbent and apprentice could be be going hell for leather at the breakdown at the same time.
Smith will likely come on at blindside flanker, which won’t greatly affect the set-play with the three main lineout jumper options being No.8 Ben Mowen and locks Scott Fardy and Sam Carter.
White told reporters on Tuesday that while he hadn’t officially announced the team just yet, he intended to run Smith and Pocock side by side for a while, before taking Pocock off.
“It will be an opportunity for me to see what they’re like together for a while, and then maybe relieve David of some duties to get ready for the next couple of tough weeks,” White said.
“One of the things I’m really mindful of is that David Pocock cannot play 80 minutes of rugby every single week.”
The Brumbies go into the match as solid favourites, having won their first two games this season and nine of their last 11 games against the Waratahs at home.
However, White said he remained wary of a Waratahs ambush after coach Michael Cheika talked up his side’s underdogs status at a press conference on Monday.
“It sounds like an ambush because it is an ambush,” White said.
“The reality is I’ve never heard of a Waratahs team ever saying they’re coming down to the Brumbies as underdogs.”
White returned Cheika’s serve with own mind games of his own, questioning the Waratahs new attacking style of rugby.
“I have no doubt that they tried it, but the irony is that stats don’t lie,” he said.
“They still haven’t gone away from kicking too much because they kicked 34 times in their last fixture, which is on average to what they did last year.”
White also played down questions surrounding Israel Folau, instead highlighting Wallaby players Drew Mitchell and Berrick Barnes as players of concern.
When asked what he thought of Folau as a player, White said it was unfair to make any assessments after just a few weeks.
“The more he plays the better he’ll become,” White said.
“Look at Wendell Sailor and Lote Tuqiri when they arrived, they also took time to get involved in rugby union.
“Michael Cheika has made it quite clear that he’s in the plans, he wants to develop him and he’s obviously going to want to keep on the field as long as possible.”
Marlins Tragic
Guest
Agreed.
Chivas
Guest
Benchmark 7 in Australia not the world, but good patriotism
Blind Freddy
Guest
I have always thought that the absence of Roff and Melon cost us the Cup. As for the current issue of Smith playing for Brumbies or even the Walabies I wouldn't expect too much, He is here for cover of the injured Vaea and it would be a mistake to use him for more than this.
bmwwilliams
Guest
You realise Israel Dagg doesn't play for the Waratahs, right HT?
Markus
Guest
Only a small dig. He could definitely break the line, but was limited in many other aspects of his game. I was more just pointing out that for the Smith/Waugh combo to be persisted with, the other loosie picked in the backrow needed to be able to complement the two and make up for the limitations of two breakdown specialists, in particular the lineout. Lyons' selection did not do this.
Mick
Guest
Markus, I am not sure if you were having a dig there at David Lyons. Hope not becasue he was awesome, from my memory of the early 2000's he was one of the best line-breakers in the Wallabys.
The OG AlBo
Roar Guru
You'd imagine that they would come close to returning that in ticket sales and publicity. It could just be very good business as well.
Shop
Guest
Waugh was a very important part of the Tahs side but never huge at international level. However he would have been far more useful than McCalman against the Irish in the last RWC. Another player discarded at the wrong time under the present coach.
Hightackle
Guest
Waugh and Smith didnt work becuz it weakened the lineout and balance of the team under the old rules. Today it would be even worse under the new rules. Imo its debatable if you have 1 specialist fetcher let alone 2 these days. I have no probs with 2 flankers the same but not 2 fetchers. 2 like Nyanga, Ritchie, O'Brien or Robshaw but not 2 like Pocock or Brussow.
Hightackle
Guest
Dagg is considered the worlds best FB and if you are gonna assume that he cant go toe to toe with Mogg (who hasnt even started to achieve test status let alone W15 status) based on 1 game where he played wing then I think thsts a little premature. Worlds best vs a guy who is maybe in the mix for a Wallaby jumper and your acting like thats not a contest becuz the best FB in the world isnt up to it? Pffffft.
Malo
Guest
Melon and George are all class doing things for rugby for the right reasons. Hope george smashes the tahs and i am a tah fan. Melon has to be 2nd behind Eales in Australias best 2nd rowers side in modern times. Remember 1999 Rugby wc sensational.
Blue Blood
Guest
You'd have to think at least $10-$15k a week. So $120k - $180k. A fraction of what he'd get for a full season but far from small fry. That's still a couple of rookies worth of coin and after the season has started. What management leaves even $100k spare in such a tight salary cap that late? It peaks my interest that's all
jeznez
Roar Guru
BB - it is only a 12 week contract, how much are you guessing per match?
ScrumJunkie
Guest
Didn't Smith just get paid over a million bucks from his Japanese club? I think he'd help the Brumbies make the finals if his salary was one dollar. Can't see a bloke like Folau bending on his salary for love of the team, in any code.
Blue Blood
Guest
You could well be right Brett. But it's unlikely he's doing it for donuts. And he can't get any 3rd party as he is considered a new signing not retention. The nagging suspicious parts of my mind are still curious.
Blue Blood
Guest
I hope you are right. I just wonder how much of a deal he gave them. Regardless of what you pay the rest of the squad, how many clubs leave even $200k in the spare kitty just incase a player of Smith's level come along? The vast majority of the Brumbies team are not getting ARU top ups so most are on only salary cap sums and 3rd party for resigned players. So I am just curious as to how they fit him under the cap. I think it is a fair query this late in the season. And I'm not at all worried about Smith being back. I think it is brilliant for Australian rugby. He is the bench mark 7 in the world to date, bar none IMO. I'm excited to see him playing in Australia again.
rl
Guest
I saw him getting on the turps during "Camp Caloundra" - never seen a human drink so much!
rl
Guest
totally agree Jiggles. Not that it all comes down to one or two moments, but Sailor let Robinson in for the try, and Rogers failed to find touch in the closing stages. You obviously can never tell, but would Roff or would have made the same errors?
Peter Breckenridge
Roar Guru
I can't seem to reply to your previous on Roff and Latham, but you got me there, I should have added to my list, but Melon was a big loss too, we really didn't have anyone that could match the Poms agro...
Peter Breckenridge
Roar Guru
couldn't have said it better myself.