Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie insists Benn Robinson is still on his radar, despite the veteran prop once again feeling the disappointment of being overlooked for a Wallabies call-up.
Robinson, 30, missed out on McKenzie’s 32-man squad two weeks ago, but an ankle injury to fellow loosehead prop Scott Sio on Monday created an opening ahead of next Saturday’s Bledisloe Cup opener.
However, McKenzie opted to call-up Melbourne Rebels tighthead prop Laurie Weeks, saying that Sio had been included in the squad as a potential tighthead proposition.
Robinson, who is just two games away from equalling Al Baxter’s 69 Test record for most capped Wallabies prop, admitted he was disappointed not to get a call-up.
“Yeah of course,” the Waratahs frontrower said.
“It’s always tough. I’ve played for the Wallabies for a long long time, so to miss out is always disappointing.”
Robinson added that he felt his past two games – where the Waratahs took out their maiden Super Rugby title – had been his best of the season.
McKenzie agrees, saying the primary reason Robinson missed out on a recall was that the squad had more depth in the loosehead role than at tighthead.
“He’s definitely on the radar. We’re concentrating on the tighthead prop side of things,” McKenzie said.
“Robinson has been playing pretty well of late. So he’s certainly not out of the picture.
“We were experimenting (with Sio) and seeing what he was going to look like at (tighthead).
“Laurie was there and didn’t do a bad job for us in June (against France). So we’ve called him in.
“(Sekope) Kepu’s ability to play loosehead as well gives us a bit of flexibility.”
Ben.S
Roar Guru
So how can you make a comment like that then? You a Super referee?
Mike
Guest
I'd be very surprised if you could. Nor aggression, grit, heart, or a host of other characteristics.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Probably right but he is currently on 52 caps - I don't want to wait that long!
Red Kev
Roar Guru
Don't worry, Slipper will overtake him in a few years
Jeznez
Guest
That gets my vote too!
Shop
Roar Guru
Can we give him 3 more caps so we don't have to have the embarrassment of Baxter being our most capped props?
jeznez
Roar Guru
Ha ha.
Ben.S
Roar Guru
'He is the best able to adjust to referee interpretations' How do you even measure something like that?
Moreton Bait
Roar Pro
Agree James. I reckon the Slipper as TH experiment has happened and resulted in confirmation that Slipper prefers and is more effective on the LH side. I expect Blades has had a look at Sio on the TH side in camp. Don't think Link would be raising the matter in public unless they'd explored the idea and discussed with Sio. Alexander is the senior prop at the Brumbies and so maybe trying Sio at THP just wasn't an option this year. If my memory is correct Alexander had a reasonable start to the SuperRugby season and then Sio was injured a bit later on. I think it's a reasonable idea, worth a shot. If it comes off, two terrific young props to develop and serve the Wallabies for many years.
jameswm
Guest
I look at it like this. For me, without doubt, the best two props in the country are Slipper and Sio. They tackle very well, can run it, offload and on the loosehead side, scrummage well. In fact very well, from some of the things I've seen from Sio this year. I think we need to convert one of then to TH. I'd always assumes Slipper, since he's got a bit of experience there. But Sio looks to me a superior scrummager, so maybe he';s the answer. I don't care either way, but if either can become a genuine test level TH, all the better for Aus rugby. You can have Kepu as a very solid bench TH, and Weeks 3rd string (I'd have said Neville Longbottom if he'd stayed). Then as LH backup, there's Toby Smith and Benn Robbo, plus Cowan (behind them for mine).
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
Jez, might be a 'cosmetic' decision so that Scott Sio gets 2 cauliflower ears instead of one? All about facial proportions and balance. #prettyprops ;)
Markus
Guest
Which does beg the question whether Link had even approached the Brumbies about it. Mind you, even if he did they may still be slightly reluctant. He is already their best prop where he is, they don't have much depth at LH compared to TH, he would take at least a season to get up to speed on the TH side, and they now have u20s Allan Alaalatoa as a promising TH option.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Agree not a bad age to convert him - I'm just arguing we should be converting him at the Brumbies, not the Wallabies.
jeznez
Roar Guru
I recognise that and agree that if they were going to push one then Slipper who has international experience seems the more appropriate one to try.
Red Kev
Roar Guru
I asked the question of Jez and it comes back to how much props are paid in the NH compared to the SH. Anae is very strong but didn't have much in the way of technique, he needs that worked on, NH is the place to do that, regardless of if he comes back he wouldn't have made the Wallabies had he stayed here IMO unless he paid Topo Rodriguez to do some personal tutoring.
Markus
Guest
For all the talk of using the NH as a prop school, has this ever actually happened? The only prop I can think of that came back from the NH was Rod Blake, and he looked even more unfit than when he left and was still getting towelled up in the scrums for the Rebels.
Red Kev
Roar Guru
On the other hand 2 seasons of NH scrummaging could turn him into a demon prop who can then be lured back to SR.
Mike
Guest
Good point re Laurie Weeks
Mike
Guest
Interesting point. Kepu started his propping as a loosehead in the NZ U-19s.
Markus
Guest
After only two full seasons Sio was already in the top two looseheads in the country, but instead it looks like he was going to sit out the international season as a third string development TH behind Kepu and Alexander. People complained about the lack of co-operation from Larkham regarding Toomua, but did Link even mention converting Sio to TH with the Brumbies at any point this year? Let's not forget Link's other front row project either, Albert Anae. A player who he regularly raved about, but never actually started for the Reds because he couldn't decide on a position for him. Now he is leaving to play in Italy.