About a year ago I watched happily as James Horwill was dumped from the Wallaby captaincy and the starting XV.
When he continued to be part of the Wallaby squad this year I sincerely thought he was just marking time until the younger, more dynamic locks usurped him.
But Kane Douglas has moved onto greener pastures (literally by moving to Leinster), Sam Carter has begun to show some cracks in terms of his work-rate, Will Skelton is still only a bench option, Luke Jones may be better suited to the no. 6 role, and Cadeyrn Neville hasn’t really had a chance.
Horwill was just not the same player since the horrible leg injury he sustained some time ago. But on Saturday he played the house down, and as a Wallaby fan that makes me smile.
If there is a player in the Wallaby squad that fits the somatotype and has the attributes Michael Cheika will want, it is Horwill.
Cheika has always looked for a talisman that fits his ideals in the forwards, with a licence to get stuck in. At Leinster he brought Rocky Elsom into his line–up, and if you were lucky enough have witnessed his 14 man of the match awards from 19 matches, you’ll know what Cheika likes his talismans to do.
This will doubly be certain if you noticed Cheika’s use of Jacques Potgieter for the Waratahs, who he had play the same role that Elsom did in Leinster.
Cheika had both these players hit it up wherever they liked, inter-play with backs that supported them, rush up and hit hard in defence, and smash into any vulnerable ruck. Both of these players quickly become local cult heroes, because they put fear into the opposition.
Cheika may see Horwill as his man to do the same for the Wallabies, and as a result Cheika is going to get more out of Horwill than past coaches.
Horwill certainly has the physicality and if his work rate remains as it did against the Barbarians he is going to put pressure on Carter or Rob Simmons for a Wallaby start.
Simmons should be worried, as Horwill is an under-rated line-out operator. Carter has a high work-rate, so I doubt Cheika will be looking to discard him.
Simmons needs a big game because he really hasn’t come on as we’d hoped. Sure he is our best line-out lock but can we keep carrying his lack of presence in the other facets when players like Horwill offer so much more around the park?
Skelton is the lock that needs to sit on the bench as he can offer the most impact. The rest of them are jostling for the two starting spots.
Regardless of what happens, well done to James Horwill – you made the biggest impression from the first game under Cheika.
44bottles
Roar Guru
I'm pretty sure Whitelock is the lineout operator, (calling etc.) not Read or Messam
hasbeen flanker
Guest
Good point DMAC. That shows pretty succinctly an area for improvement. To me that is only part of it though. Bench impact is one thing, but game management and tactical maturity is all together another thing. Cool heads under the pressure of a fast finishing AB's etc. That is what you need a composed captain for. IMHO, we haven't had that in Hooper, as good as he is with other aspects of his game. To my mind, Cheika should make the call for captaincy as soon as a couple of senior players return.
Utah
Guest
You are drawing a very long bow mate. If you think the players are so fragile that an unpopular admin employee can derail their entire campaign then we are in a lot more trouble than we thought.
bennalong
Guest
What happened this season? The team looked under done and this despite having half the team winners of the Super 15 None of it translated In truth I blame McKenzie, but Patston's unbelievable rise to 'no actual position' but with the power to decide who could talk to McKenzie, tells you something about the man's state of mind.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Hilarious. In Brisbane Simmons and Carter matched the All Black's locks. In Cape Town they matched the Springbok's locks. They are not as consistent but they have also put in the best performances.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
So what about the 10 years before Patson joined the team mate where the same players played like busted arses? Now this is a crazy thought, but just maybe, it was the players, some of whom have had the same issues dating back to Connolly as coach. AAC never looked to pass in 2006 and still hasn't developed that in 2014 for example.
Mike
Guest
Cheika seems to indicate he saw them, but I guess we'll find out when the team is announced.
Really
Guest
Hotwills biggest impact is catching the ball where the five eighth should be standing and running next to rucks to stand around and look busy. Maybe he was good at some stage but there hasn't been a more overrated australian lock since Nathan sharpe who as also rubbish 50% of the time
All Bent Out of Shape
Guest
Im not seeing those signs. At his best he was making metres and making tackles. He did sweet fa of that on Sat when he "played the house down".
Combesy
Roar Guru
Should be 4. Simmons 5. Horwill 19. Skelton 20. Mcmahon
Combesy
Roar Guru
Great comment TWAS. It's all about perception with Simmons. I agree with everything you have said in fact I would add he has added another facet to his game in ball handling as in soft hands and passing.
pjm
Roar Rookie
It comes from working out when the ball is coming out of the ruck. If the runner runs before the HB passes it then he will overrun it. If the HB passes the ball in front of the runner and he doesn't run then the ball will go pass him.
Mike
Guest
If its all in the head then its not breeding. One can't have it both ways. The way we get harder players is by promoting and encouraging hardness in our existing players, not by telling ourselves that it can't be done. ;) Horwill seemed to be doing well enough in 2011 when he smashed the key Springbok player (Bruessow) out of the game. No doubt our South African import Dan Vickerman was intent on doing the same thing, but Horwill beat him to it. Anyway, Cheika will work with what's available. If Horwill is the best he's got for a hard man, that's who he will use. Next season he can team him up with Scott Fardy - he seems to have some potential in that area but it needs to be honed.
DMac
Guest
I'll concede he's probably the best at the moment, but I think that may be more of an indictment on the alternatives tbh.
DMac
Guest
So we are in fierce agreement then.
DMac
Guest
Not at all. It was both in tandem (despite rarely being on the field together, oddly enough).
lassitude
Guest
The training will be different. The SH teams are at the end of the year for them and the regime will reflect that - i'd expect it's be comparatively short and sharp and based on a decent aerobic prerequisite. I'd have thought Skelton needs a long pre-pre-season type training regime- designed to improve aerobic fitness and shed blubber at a sustained rate (so diet will be part of it as well presumably). If he's the 145kegs that he's reported then he's probably 15-25kegs (possibly more) too much to sustain an aerobic 80minutes and still do his contact duties in the tight.
Demark
Guest
I just that the next generation of locks get fast tracked with good coaching and conditioning, the likes of Adam Coleman 202cm 122 kgs and Rory Arnold 209 cm 128 kgs may one day lead us to place we wnt to be. As for Horwill it was great to see him return to some form against BaaBaa's hope Ceika can supercharge his game and return to the Horwill of old. My assessment of Skelton is unchanged and that is he needs to get his big frame more mobile for longer periods or he will not have enough sustained impact on a match to warrant selection
Lt18
Guest
Exactly why you aren't the coach.
Smiggle Jiggle
Roar Guru
Horwill will never be like Potgieter. All in the head. Potgieter loves to hit hard, does care about his body taking the hit, just like Vermeulen, Burger and countless other Springboks. These guys are a different bread of players. Australian's are softer, just the way we play.