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With the British Lions tour creeping closer and closer, the fight for flyhalf is becoming tougher and tougher an it’s as clear as mud who will be filling the vital role of the no. 10 jersey.
Strong performances from Matt Toomua and Quade Cooper are continuously stacking up and are pushing their names forward to be considered for a Wallaby position.
Throw in the impending return of Kurtley Beale and the already potential fly halves announced in the 30 man preliminary Wallaby squad, James O’Connor, Berrick Barnes and Christian Leali’ifano, and you have yourself a selection pickle.
The selection process is going to be extremely tough when there is no immediate player who ticks all the boxes as an international no.10. There are so many factors that must be considered when deciding on the most appropriate person for the job.
Things like: halfback/flyhalf combination, tactical kicking, organisational skills, form, team rapport, experience and confidence all play a crucial role when deciding who to go with.
Deans has definitely got his work cut out for him and there is no doubt he is going to cause controversy, not matter what decision he makes.
Deans’ squad already boasts some solid potential fly halves, both O’Connor and Barnes are proven internationally renown and have been tested under high pressure situations. Let’s discuss some of the potential candidates.
James O’Connor
James O’Connor is trying to lift a struggling Melbourne team and without team mate Kurtley Beale, who is also another contender to the no.10 jersey, he has been struggling to impress in an under performing team.
Still, O’Connor is all class and has had moments of brilliance this season and you can see he is beginning for a forward pack that can get over the advantage line and potent attacking support players to feed when breaking the line. There is no doubt that O’Connor will at least make the 22 playing squad it will just be a question of where.
He has the potential to play at flyhalf, full back and wing however all of those positions have great competition.
With O’Connor currently the only Wallaby squad member playing flyhlaf in the Super Rugby Competition it appears Deans will be putting his faith in O’Connor for the number 10 jersey.
Berrick Barnes
Berrick Barnes has missed a large portion of this season due to injury hasn’t seen much game time at all. He suffered a broken wrist against the Tahs shock loss to the Cheetahs back in round five and prior to that suffered a knee injury in a preseason trial match.
It is hard to say how he will perform at Test level, but one can assume that with 50 test caps under his belt, Barnes will perform as always; commanding and tactical. Berrick brings a great tactical kicking game with his pin point accuracy offering great direction having the ability to bite off large chunks of territory. He is also diverse enough to play not only flyhalf but inside center.
That said, Berrick is on the verge of leaving Australian Rugby, reportedly to play for a Japanese club, and if Deans is looking to build for the future (not really required for the Lion’s tour) then Barnes doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. Nonetheless, Barnes has his spot in the preliminary squad and expect to see him make the 22 playing squad against the Lion’s.
Christian Leali’ifano
Christian Leali’ifano has not yet had his chance at international level, largely due to a series of unfortunate injuries that have stunted his progress and it is this that leaves a slight question mark over his ability to start as a no.10 and a no.12.
In the 2012 Super Rugby season, Leali’ifano, held the no.10 position with the Brumbies, only to lose it after he broke his ankle in his tenth game to Matt Toomua.
Toomua has taken his opportunity, playing out of his skin, which has seen him retain the coveted no. 10 jersey and Leali’ifano shifted to inside centre since rejoining the Brumbies.
Toomua’a great form in combination with Leali’ifano’s ability to play as a second option play maker is large factor as to why the Brumbies to the top of the Australian conference in the Super Rugby competition.
This is where he is most likely to slot in for the Wallabies, however he will most likely lose out on a starting jersey to Berrick Barnes. Lealiffano has the ability to step in to no. 10 for the Wallabies if need be but will most likely play no.12.
The great thing about all three of these players is their diversity and for that reason, that makes them extremely valuable as multi-positional utility backs. They all have the ability to play 10, 12, and O’Connor the ability to play wing or fullback.
Deans has specifically chosen these players for that reason, and Lealiffano, if he stays injury free, will obtain his first Wallaby jersey. So far so good for Deans.
The outsiders – Matt Toomua, Quade Cooper and Kurtely Beale
Matt Toomua
Although Toomua’s form has been fantastic, it has not earned him a spot in the Wallabies Lions Tour squad yet. With the caliber of players available for the Wallabies who have proven themselves at Test level it’s highly unlikely he will get his opportunity this year and in that case it’s unlikely he will ever get to play against the Lions.
What makes Toomua even more attractive is his bone rattling defence, something that no other no. 10 in any Australian Super Rugby franchise possesses.
This combined with his great form has put his name in the ring for a Wallaby call up, however due to the number of quality players on offer this will most probably eventuate after the Lions tour.
Quade Cooper
There is no doubt that Quade Cooper has a freakish ability to pull something out of nothing. You only have to watch his highlights for the 2011 Super Rugby season to see that Cooper can spark magic. We also know that his game can fall a part pretty quickly if momentum isn’t on his side.
His 50-50 passes and trickery can leave him looking like a fool when he is absolutely monstered by someone whose sees straight through his rugby voodoo magic. If Quade is selected the only problem will be which Quade will turn up? Magic Quade? Questionable Quade?
It’s been evident that at an international level, Cooper struggles as there is less time to think and front foot ball is hard to come by, something he thrives on.
International games are generally an arm wrestle of building pressure and the team that builds enough pressure through acquiring territory, maintaining the ball with good phase play and has an impenetrable defence will prevail.
This type of game isn’t really tailored to Cooper, however with his recent Super Rugby performances, Cooper is showing his game is maturing displaying commanding performances in games where the Reds haven’t had much go forward.
There aren’t too many specialty fly halves in Australian rugby. In fact all other potential fly halves have the ability to play several other positions. Quade could play fullback however he has limited experience in this position and most likely will never be considered.
This means Quade can really only be consider for flyhalf for the Wallabies which at present looks like Deans has selected James O’Connor to fill the role. You will always need a substitute flyhalf however with the ability of Berrick Barnes and Leali’ifano to play flyhalf, Deans may opt out on Cooper.
The one thing Quade can bring to the Wallabies that no one else can is his superior chemistry with Will Genia, which at Super Rugby level is astonishing. One would think however, that it’s too little to late for the 26 year old and with the plethora of solid available number 10s, Quade’s international career could be coming to a crossroads.
Kurtely Beale
Kurtely’s situation is complicated. Had he not got into the off field mess that he did he would probably find himself in the 30man Wallabies preliminary squad.
Kurtley has been in great form and is another worthy player of the Wallaby no.10 jersey. He has quick acceleration giving him the ability to make sniping runs and has successfully performed at an international level. There is no doubt that given the opportunity Kurtley will take it with both hands and fight to have a starting role in the upcoming Lions tour.
The only question is now, is there enough time for Deans to be convinced to get him on board. Given the number of quality players in the squad, I would say no. His off the field drama has really shot himself in the foot.
So knowing all this, where are we at?
One thing is for sure; new faces are talking up spots that these fly halves could potentially be moved to, limiting the room for these players – you can’t have all these great players selected for the Lion’s tour.
The inclusion of Israel Falou and Jesse Mogg means that the fullback position (where fly halves are often shifted to) have this spot tied up. Digby Ione is the only specialist winger in the squad which leaves one wing spot open for a utility back to fill.
In the centers, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Ben Tapuai, Joe Tomane and Pat McCabe are all competing for the 12 and 13 jersey, which leaves very little room for a utility flyhalf. As you can see, there is healthy competition and someone is going to lose out.
What is on offer for the Lions tour is a fruitful platter of number 10′s all with their pro’s and con’s. One thing that is absolutely obvious and that is there is no stand out dominant flyhalf in Australia.
With any of these players, it’s probably going to be a “wait and see” how they perform approach.
If Quade continues to play the way he is playing, it’s hard to see how he can be left out of the squad yet it appears there is limited space for him. This is going to be a tough call for Deans!
The Wallabies 30 man development squad
Backs
Jesse Mogg (Brumbies)
Israel Folau (NSW Waratahs)
Digby Ioane (Queensland Reds)
Joe Tomane (Brumbies)
Adam Ashley-Cooper (NSW Waratahs)
Ben Tapuai (Queensland Reds)
Pat McCabe (Brumbies)
Christian Leali’ifano (Brumbies)
Berrick Barnes (NSW Waratahs)
James O’Connor (Melbourne Rebels)
Nic White (Brumbies)
Will Genia (Queensland Reds)
Forwards
Wycliff Palu (NSW Waratahs)
Fotu Auelua (Brumbies)
Michael Hooper (NSW Waratahs)
Liam Gill (Queensland Reds)
Dave Dennis (NSW Waratahs)
Scott Higginbotham (Melbourne Rebels)
Ben Mowen (Brumbies)
Rob Simmons (Queensland Reds)
James Horwill (Queensland Reds)
Kane Douglas (NSW Waratahs)
Sitaleki Timani (NSW Waratahs)
Dan Palmer (Brumbies)
James Slipper (Queensland Reds)
Ben Alexander (Brumbies)
Benn Robinson (NSW Waratahs)
Scott Sio (Brumbies)
Stephen Moore (Brumbies)
Tatafu Polota-Nau (NSW
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.