Reports have emerged on Wednesday morning that Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie was poised to give Matt Toomua the starting fly-half position for this weekend’s Bledisloe Cup Test.
News Corp outlets have today published the scoop from Iain Payten that McKenzie is “keen to use the element of surprise” by promoting Toomua ahead of Quade Cooper in the pecking order at the crucial pivot position.
While the popular opinion since McKenzie took over was that Cooper, with 38 Test caps, would be thrown the keys to the car again, there has been careful handling of the situation.
Last week there were reports from Toomua and Foley suggesting a competition for the fly-half position in Wallabies camp was alive and well.
Even if those sentiments hadn’t been interpreted by the public as much more than lip service it seems McKenzie must have been delicately managing an in-house competition for the position or at the very least providing media fodder to soften the public to the decision.
There is obviously a chance the selection won’t materialise but the report was very strong and seems to be filtering through other organisations as legitimate.
At first glance, the probable selection of Toomua, just 23 years old and with no experience at this level, seems like a massive gamble by the new Wallabies overseer. But on closer inspection there are a host of good reasons for giving the young blood a chance.
Firstly is Payten’s reported reason – the element of surprise. It would be naive to think the All Blacks coaching staff and players hadn’t considered the possibility of someone other than Quade Cooper starting this Test you’d think at least a big chunk of their preparation would have focused on the Wallabies shapes with the Reds star in the side.
With this selection, McKenzie will force some minor changes in the All Blacks preparation late in the game. That’s an advantage not often afforded.
The next reason to select Toomua is simply to go with the hot hand.
Toomua has had a very strong Super Rugby campaign, and perhaps more importantly has been involved in the finals and performed admirably there. On the flip-side, Cooper has been good-but-not-great so far this year and hasn’t had a real game since the boring match against the Waratahs – that was a full month ago.
Another strong reason is, ironically, Toomua provides a lot of the same qualities that many people were looking for from James O’Connor as a Test quality fly-half.
The groupthink seems to be that a successful fly-half needs to be more in the mould of a Dan Carter than a Quade Cooper – straightening the attack, good kicking, strong defence and the ability to select the right runner without fuss.
Those were the traits people were hoping to see from O’Connor in the Lions series and some of those traits are seen to be missing from Cooper’s game.
Toomua undoubtedly does all of those things better than O’Connor could. And he does some of them – kicking and tackling most notably – better than Cooper. His passing game isn’t as long as Cooper’s but he creates space for runners in different ways, such as drawing more defenders to his own run first.
All up, if the selection is formalised it shows McKenzie’s strong intent to build for the future and put his own stamp on a Wallabies project aimed at much more than this year’s Rugby Championship.
Mike
Guest
"Genia, Howill and other pathetic waratah forwards" Right...
WoobliesFan
Guest
That logic could be applied to Genia, Howill and other pathetic waratah forwards that day.....they were all shocking....most shocking was Robbie Deans...pathetic game-day strategy
stillmatic1
Guest
doesn't the statement remind you of the "messiah" cooper though, justin3? one try against Italy and it was glory glory glory..........
Jerry
Guest
You'd probably have to say when Ma'a Nonu took a regular starting spot in 2008 - prior to that it had generally been Aaron Mauger or Luke McAlister in the 12 jersey. I do wonder how much of it is down to the presence of Conrad Smith who is a different kind of centre than NZ has generally had in the pro era. If we had a Rene Ranger type player at 13 instead, I wonder if there would be a place for a more traditional NZ 2nd five.
Jerry
Guest
They've gone head to head twice in tests (for any meaningful time - Cruden played 10 minutes of the Auckland match last year). TN 2010 & RWC semi final. Cooper took the honours in 2010 (the match was Cruden's first start) and Cruden in 2011. The Super Rugby encounters have been relatively even, from memory. Funnily enough Cruden probably performed better against the Reds before he went to the Chiefs. He outplayed Quade handily in the 2010 and 2011 matches, but Quade stepped up in 2012 and 13 against the Chiefs.
Jeff
Guest
PeterK posts: "Cooper performs very well head to head against Cruden" and that is what I am commenting on.The one test where they have gone head to head.Read the original post !!!
Justin3
Guest
You sure? One intercept try was about all they conjured up along with a grubber in behind. Dont remember too many more breaks
Pete
Guest
Give Cooper a break. This is a new coach and with him a new gameplan and attacking mindset. Cooper will play the entire game regardless. Mark my words. He deserves it too. Toouma will be there in case of injury to cooper or to cover the back line. It would be the same as saying we will give link 40 mins and if he doesnt perform then we will dump him and put white in charge. Cooper will have the full 80 if he isnt injured and his actions will do the talking. Anything else is just talk...
Justin3
Guest
Ive not discussed head to heads, which are often irrelevant, merely making the point Coopers career has come down to one match for so many people. Its very amusing...
Jeff
Guest
What other test matches has Cooper gone head to head against Cruden ? You say he performs very well head to head against him.In the one test match he was Cooper played appallingly. Thats why I am quoting it.You made the play !!!
Tarragon Fields
Guest
@ Garth. Do you remember the point at which there was a change in thinking with respect to the 12 position? I have Tana Umaga and Ma'a Nonu in my memory for the the last 10 years or so and the ABs have certainly been dominant over that period with a bullocking 12.
Mike
Guest
I wouldn't dispute that. And I was impressed with Quade not losing it over a less-than-stellar first half, and coming right back.
Justin3
Guest
Heard of an injury which required a total knee reconstruction? Thats no small potatoes
Justin3
Guest
Yes Cooper should be judged on that sole match forever, nothing else matters....
Justin3
Guest
Cooper put a few players through holes in between some very average passing. Sharpe should have scored after a beautiful ball from Cooper too.
Garth
Guest
The 2011 Super Rugby season was TWO YEARS AGO. Since then QC, coached by one Ewen McKensie I might add, has been below his peak form and part of a team which has NOT won the SR title in either 2012 or 2013. Which is why everyone seems to 'forget' . Fully agree about the forwards, Australia used to have some great ones, what happened?
Garth
Guest
For most of NZ's rugby history, 10 & 12 were seen as being relatively interchangeable, hence our tradition of refering to them as 1st & 2nd five/eightths as opposed to the flyhalf/inside centre everyone else uses.
Mike
Guest
I think its a little more than that. I agree a single charge-down is not a basis for judging a player (although it didn't escape notice after he was charged down twice in the 22-0 loss against New Zealand). I doubt that Quade himself would have much positive to say about his play in that first half. The second half was not a great performance, but importantly he came back. He put McCabe through for a try, Phipps put Ioane through for another try and we were home. The most positive thing I see for Quade in the second half against Argentina (and it is a real positive) is that he didn't crack under the pressure of the first half. Many players would have. He kept his head and found a way to negate the pressure the Pumas were putting on him. Re your last point – it seems a tad unfair to compare Quade's "almosts" with Beale's "actuals". Beale did put Mike Harris over against South Africa at Loftus, as well as Ioane over against Argentina at Rosario, whereas Quade put McCabe over against Argentina and Robinson over against South Africa.
Jeff
Guest
Have another look at the semi final in the RWC.If you think that shows Cooper performing very well in a head to head against Cruden you are in la la land.
Hoy
Roar Guru
That was in the first half. IF people think Quade played badly because he was charged won, that is a pretty harsh assessment. Quade played OK in that game. He almost set up more tries in that game than Beale for the rest of the year.