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Melbourne Rebels scrum half Nic Stirzaker’s Super Rugby form has caught the eye of at least two former Wallabies, who have given their endorsements for the ginger-headed Knox Grammar old boy to be included in the Wallabies’ 2015 campaign.
“The Wallabies need the most urgent link number nine who also has the capacity to attract opposition defences by his offensive running capacity,” said Australia’s first World Cup winning skipper, legendary scrum half Nick Farr-Jones.
“I would be favouring Stirzaker at the moment to be given the chance to turn Wallaby prospects around.”
In a recent conversation I had with Farr-Jones, it was made apparent that the Wallabies had a number of quality options to fill the scrum half role, but it was both the scrum and fly half know how to maximise the opportunity possession presents.
The Wallaby forwards of 2015 will have their work cut out considering the set piece prowess of sides such as South Africa and England, and the break-down dominance the All Blacks. Quality possession may be hard to come by consistently, and the Wallabies are reliant on their halves getting the team into quality attacking positions, whereas their rivals rely on working their way back into a game through their forwards.
Farr-Jones was quick to identify that Stirzaker possessed a running, kicking and passing game that possessed lateral vision, an ability to maintain a phase game of continuity and finally the ability to pass the ball from the ground which allows the all important time and space for his ball receivers to apply their own pressure on the defence.
The importance of the ability to hold up and commit the inside defenders is a critical skill that is required to create maximum opportunity for the outside backs was not lost on me upon reflection of our conversation.
Farr-Jones made a point to mention the magnificent All Black flanker, Michael Jones, who unless was drawn in to defend closely on the halves could aggressively apply pressure on the centres nullifying the attack and placing pressure on the attack, essentially illustrating the need for a scrum half to posses a threatening running game himself.
Despite winning a Grand Slam, Bledisloe Cup and World Cup, Farr-Jones was quick to praise the skill of fellow Wallaby scrum halves Ken Catchpole and the late John Hipwell, essentially saying that both had the ability to create opportunity from less than ideal possession. This was something Farr-Jones himself did not have to experience consistently, as he reminded me he played behind some great Wallaby packs.
When you consider the recent match between the Melbourne Rebels and ACT Brumbies, with the Rebels’ scrum under pressure, on at least two occasions Stirzaker took matters into his own hands and shot off down the short side, quickly turning the momentum of pressure back onto the Brumbies with his running game.
One of his efforts culminated in a wonderful try to the impressive winger Sefanaia Naivalu. After digesting this display it was easy for me to understand the point Farr-Jones was making.
A former teammate of the great Ken Catchpole, Peter Crittle, a veteran of 15 Tests as a lock forward and flanker for the Wallabies during the 1960s is also full of praise for the talented Stirzaker.
“He is capable of being a game breaker…” and further “A player who improves every match. I would consider him as our number two half back in Australia behind Phipps. I like his distribution straight from the ground.”
Yet Crittle’s greatest compliment for Stirzaker was for his running game, Crittle remarked he is a “Great broken field runner, reminds me a Catchpole in that sense.”
Prior to my conversation with Farr-Jones I was of the opinion that the Wallabies of 2015 should use an established scrum half, fly half combination, either the Queensland duo of Genia and Cooper, or the Waratahs young guns Phipps and Foley.
Yet Farr-Jones was quick to remind me of his own combination with the great Michael Lynagh, a combination that was not born of an established state combination. Farr-Jones was confident that the players today are mature enough to make the combinations work whatever they may be.
When I think of Nick Farr-Jones and Mark Ella, it sounds like such a well oiled machine, as comfortable as on old par of boots.
In watching those Tests matches from the 1984 Grand Slam and hearing either Gordon Bray or Bill McLaren broadcast “Farr-Jones to Ella” almost flows with the familiarity of the late Richie Benaud going through a score-card of an early 1980s cricket Test match “Bowled Lillee, caught Marsh.”
However the reality is that Farr-Jones and Ella only ever played those four Tests together, and now those four Tests are now forever etched in the psyche of Australian rugby, and rightfully so.
When I brought up the subject of experience and Stirzaker, Farr-Jones was quick to remind me that in 1983 he was playing second division rugby with the famous Sydney University Rugby Club and was picked from relative obscurity into the Wallabies.
It would be hard not to argue that by the end of 1984 Nick Farr-Jones was one of the best scrum halves in the game. It starts to get me thinking what Nic Stirzaker might achieve of given a similar opportunity?
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.