Surprise No.8 selection Ben McCalman has survived on the Wallabies fringes for four seasons but now he’s hellbent on using new-found power to seize the day against Argentina.
Picked ahead of Scott Higginbotham due to his toughness in close-quarters combat, McCalman believes he’s poised to produce career-best Test form in Saturday night’s Rugby Championship clash on the Gold Coast.
The 26-year-old back-rower enjoyed a break-out Super Rugby season for the Western Force this year before a groin injury struck.
The secret to his success was an enhanced gym program that gave him more leg drive and strength, helping him to become one of the leading tackle-breakers in the competition.
But the groin strain, suffered in late May, taxed McCalman’s power game and has taken him almost four months to overcome.
He was still carrying the worsening problem when he started the dour 6-0 second Test win over France in June, finishing as the leading tackler at Etihad Stadium.
With Wycliff Palu in form for the NSW Waratahs, and Higginbotham providing an impact off the bench for Australia, McCalman was completely overlooked for the opening Rugby Championship clashes with New Zealand and South Africa.
But he looks back at the omissions with some positivity as it’s allowed him the rest and time in the gym to regain both strength and confidence he’ll need to combat the confrontational Pumas pack.
“It’s frustrating for me having that small injury throughout the year when I felt like I was playing my best footy,” McCalman told AAP.
“I guess it’s been a blessing in disguise these last four weeks not being picked and getting it strong again.
“Hopefully I can pick up where I finished in Super Rugby and do my best to remain in the team.”
With the sidelined Palu expected back from concussion for the South Africa-Argentina tour which follows, McCalman needs a huge game to end his run of fleeting appearances.
Not since starting 10 straight Tests after debuting in 2010, has he held on for more than three games in a row in a 32-Test career that includes 15 caps off the bench.
McCalman doesn’t have the brute force of 116kg Palu nor the pace or X-factor of Higginbotham, but coach Ewen McKenzie is a big fan of his work-rate and all-round abilities.
While 8kg lighter than Palu, McKenzie says his output is similar in combative games against big, abrasive opponents.
“It’s a like-for-like change,” he said. “Benny has had to bide his time but he’s always been near and dear in his attributes, particularly in the types of games we’re playing at the moment.”
Peter Hughes
Roar Rookie
McCalman might be a good honest toiler & a plodder at Test level but that makes him 100% better than PALU - Mr invisible. Aust play with 7 forwards every time PALU is picked and he's been the biggest weakness in this W team for 10 years. Aust commentators, selectors & fans have been tragically slow to pick up the bleeding obvious - PALU is useless at Test level against the top 5 nations. He's consistently had very low work rate, error prone, slow, lacks mongrel & impact against the top 5. So c'mon Ben McC & Higgers - you've finally got your chance - Aust needs you. Make the No 8 jersey your own and sign off PALU to the sad history he's been for the Wallabies for 10 yrs.
Chan Wee
Guest
@ Gary Russell-Sharam : the problem is not Hooper , it is all the forwards who when compared to say NZ or SA or Eng (or even Arg) are lacking the skills to match the opposition. Hooper was great with the Waratahs simply becoz there was a very good 6 in Jakpot for a while (then he went to 2nd row and Dennis took over at 6). The issue for OZ is most players look great at Super level but seem pedestrian at test level. Palu for example played against some good packs but did not do much against the better ones like Crusaders for example. Given the below par performance of the 2nd and 3rd row , OZ could have made some changes against the Pumas. however it seems the coach is worried about the scrum and has kept faith with the starters, despite their poor show against SA. The Puma 3rd row is very good despite missing Matera. they are big and fast. had lavanini played the 2nd row also would have been a lot more powerful than the OZ. no need to talk about the front rows. the pilfering 7 is a thing of past. now the whole team is supposed to pilfer iif the opportunity arises. it was BDP who got the ball for the last penalty which was not kicked out. In fact SA dont play their best pilferer Brussow. Fardy is a good 6 at super level, just like Mowen was a good 8 at super level :)
Non-believer
Guest
That's why I brought the point up, there is a lack of pilfers from the incumbent #7, particularly at critical moments of the match. Fardy was filling this role last year but I think with all the penalties he gave away during the super rugby season he has been more apprehensive than usual. And before you say what about that one steal during the last game? Play the tape again and you will see it was foley on the ball
Squirrel
Guest
It shows how dire our domestic comps are.
CHT
Guest
There's only one way to get experienced NB, that's by doing. If you start early you learn quicker than the rest. Also I notice a lack of objectivity in your argument as I didn't see you mention Hooper's pilfers!?!
non-believer
Guest
Absolutely agree with you in regards to 7. It's a tough one, Hooper is consistently one of Wallabies strongest performers but would you prefer a bigger forward that has better pilfering skills? The Wallabies have been blessed with world class pilferers in the past with Smith and Pocock stealing ball at crucial moments, it's been something missing from our defence (good to see Hodgson's steal last week though). What I would like to put out there though, that is probably contrary to public opinion, is the issue of Hooper's captaincy. Yes, he can think strategically; yes, he is a communicator; but does he have the experience? Would you promote a junior staff member one year to CEO of a major company in the following year? Same thing goes for that joke of a politician Wyatt Roy (the worst looking 24 year old in Australia) - experience is everything. Experience counts so much in any team environment whether it be in business or on the sporting field, and crucially, the captain needs to be someone that everyone in the team respects, trusts, looks up to, and will follow. Who else though? I would be looking to James Horwill if his form warrants a spot in the starting team, which after 3 matches with the Carter and Simmons experiment.. I can't see how an injured Horwill wouldn't make the team
non-believer
Guest
I think we're on the same page with the hyperbole
Markus
Guest
Higgs has the potential to offer more than McCalman, but has failed to do so in his test career so far. His previous starting berths were riddled with low workrate and poor ball security. He has looked at his most impressive when coming off the bench, so I can understand why Link continues to do so. Hopefully he will get closer to 30 minutes than 10, though.
Paul
Guest
For the Waratahs, Hooper and Palu work well because of Potgeiter in the role of Lock and Hoiles/Dennis in the 6. He has a balance of players and skills required for a back 5 even if none of these players play a traditional role. Palu does the tight grunt work in carrying and defending like no other player in Australia with the exception of Slipper. Hooper provides speed and evasion with turns into strong go forward as well. He is also far more effective of the ball than he gets credit for. Potsy is the ranging forward who plays loose but hits it hard straight up the middle. Dennis and Hoiles off strong lineout and do the non flashy work around the breakdown. This mix, while not traditional works because it is balanced. And I think the closest the wallabies could get to it would be to have Higgers at 6 and Mcalman at 8 as he's similar to Palu and Higgers is as close as Aus gets to Potgeiter.
Gary Russell-Sharam
Guest
Ben McCalman is a plodder at best, He is a good honest toiler and will get through the game with a performance that will have you saying that was OK but he could have done more. He is not quite up to test standard, a good filler in for injury but not the banana. Higgy, IMO offers that bit more than McCalman, but Link doesn't seem to like him. I like the way that Higgy has more speed and is a better ball carrier. I don't really mind that he plays a tad loose, that's the way I like my 8 or 6 to play not both together mind you. The structure of the side seems to me to be a bit unbalanced, I still think Link is sorting out who goes where. He would want to hurry up and find out before the season is over and done and dusted. I have my doubts that we have the right person at 7 for the team to operate at its best. I do not doubt that Hooper is a great player but he is not the 7 I would choose for the team that is being selected at the moment. If we had Horwill prior to 2011 in the second row and MMM type at 6 I would have Hooper at 7. Hooper is like Miller from the past, he is a great player but just a tad small to contest the breakdowns etc. I like the guy as captain I think he is a good leader but the structure of the team around him is just not suitable for him to be selected as the prefered 7. I have read on recent sites that some people have the same views. While I admire Hooper as a player and a captain it is just the team around him that bothers me. That's why I am doubting Links selections at the moment, I hope that he improves and starts to get it right, otherwise we will be no better off than when we had Deans. I'm now starting to have thoughts about Cheika and what he would bring to the table as a Wallaby coach
the lad @ the Craic
Guest
Go You Good Thing ,thats all I need to say about Ben
Markus
Guest
Like the locks, It's not as if there's a whole lot of options breaking down the door at number 8. Higgs has provided a bit of go forward in attack coming off the bench, but his Test career to date has failed to deliver anything close to the hype. McCalman showed strong consistent form during this Super Rugby season, and now gets his chance. As to the hyperbole, I must be reading different comments to you. I've never read much more about McCalman aside from that he is an honest toiler.
Stray Gator
Roar Rookie
I think Link's call in starting BM is spot on. Go well, big fella. You're a joy to watch. And if you ever get sick of Perth's rain....
non-believer
Guest
Ok, but if he continues to plod along and go missing like he did under the Robbie Deans-era Wallabies can we finally put the McCalman project and all the hyperbole around him to rest? Probably not, as I'm sure Link will continue to select him even if he paved the way to the try line for the Argies, given Link's selection strategy since having the top job. There seems to be an infliction which impacts walllaby coaches...let's look at this over the recent past: Eddie Jones - the master over-analyser and created the mobility is everything strategy to the detriment of the wallaby scrum. Well...in fairness, Matt Dunning has probably never moved quicker than being pushed backwards in a scrum against England. Although I liked his philosophy on players being multi-skilled and being able to fill a variety of positions John Connolly - Well I'm not sure what this guy actually did for the Wallabies...he was never good with the media and it was almost like he had a level of arrogance which warranted him to being able to deliver monosyllabic responses in post-match interviews...either that or potentially he hadn't evolved at that time Robbie Deans - he had me at "Hello" and lost me with James O'Connor at 10... Ewen McKenzie - I wonder what sordid pictures Rob Simmons and Sam Carter have of him. Also, if you leave Link's team ala Higgenbotham moving from the Reds to the Rebels, don't expect the welcome mat to be rolled out for you when it comes to the Wallabies. I hope the guy realises that there are some fundamental issues with the Wallaby performance that last week's lucky win shouldn't gloss over. Kind of reminds me of John Connolly...