Wallabies workhorse Scott Fardy concedes he doesn’t have the glamour factor of fellow flankers David Pocock and Michael Hooper, but he’s happy to stay under the radar and keep his remarkable starting run going.
The topic of whether Wallabies coach Michael Cheika would start the two opensides Pocock and Hooper together was a major theme though Australia’s successful Rugby Championship campaign.
Cheika alternated Hooper and Pocock for the first two matches before playing them together for the third.
While they hogged the headlines, blindside flanker Fardy was the only back rower to start all four Tests.
“I’m probably very surprised there, especially with the quality of back rower we’ve got,” Fardy told AAP on Monday.
One could argue he shouldn’t have been given his extraordinary sequence of starts in the gold jersey.
In an era when coaches have the luxury of naming six forward reserves, 31-year-old Fardy hasn’t commenced a game on the bench since his first Test.
He has started in his last 23 Tests, a longer streak than any other current Wallaby forward.
“I’m not much of an impact player (off the bench), it looks like at the moment,” Fardy joked.
“I love wearing the six jersey, so I’m pretty happy.”
He doesn’t begrudge the two opensides the heap of attention they receive.
“They have got much more glamorous roles than I do and I understand that,” Fardy said.
“What I do is important for the team.
“They are obviously the topic of discussion a lot of the time but it doesn’t bother me a lot.
“I do enjoy slipping under the radar.”
Playing at this year’s World Cup wasn’t on his radar at the time of the last tournament in 2011, when the late blooming back rower had yet to make his Super Rugby debut for the Brumbies.
“I initially just wanted to play Super Rugby,” Fardy said.
“When you get the opportunities then your goals change, but I probably wasn’t thinking this far ahead.”
He felt the Wallabies forwards had generally performed well so far this season despite the heavy defeat in their last match to New Zealand in Auckland.
“We’ve won three of the four Tests and it starts up front, so the forwards have been really good over the Rugby Championship, but we look forward to improving as we go into the World Cup,” he said.
Reflecting on the lessons learnt in their last start thrashing by the All Blacks Fardy said “we made a couple of crucial errors and they punished us in quick succession and the game was pretty much out of our hands.
“They are an incredibly clinical side and we’ve got to be better than what we were there.”
Ian
Guest
not really, he's 113/4kg according to the interwebs, but I think he used to be a bit bulkier when he first popped up on the professional scene, he might have tried to slim down because he wanted to be more mobile and play blindside (all second rowers want to play flanker).
ScrumJunkie
Guest
Actually i'm describing Scott Fardy, international 6, and a smart one who does his job at that.
pjm
Roar Rookie
He's too light.
Playmaker
Guest
Love the way he plays for OZ..happy days!
Ian
Guest
The type of player you are describing is the modern day second rower, the position he should be playing.
ScrumJunkie
Guest
Absolutely playmaker. Fardy might not be blessed with the talent of some other players, but he's hard and knows how to play his postion, even at test level. Most times in history that Australia had five players that fit that criteria they were unbeatable.
Mike
Guest
Yep. Shallow folks won't appreciate him at all. ;)
Playmaker
Guest
Fardy is an old fashion blindside loosie, does the dirty work ,no frills, real grunt man..that's all folks.
marto
Guest
I`m still waiting for him to bully someone in a test...He did it against the crusaders..Why doesn`t he do it more?
Ken
Guest
Ita Vaea should have been picked..He is PALU 10years ago..Only better...
Ken
Guest
True !! How this bloke escapes scutiny is baffling...Horwill and HIGGERS gets punted but CHEIKA keeps this bloke.. PLEEEEEASE!!
niwdEyaJ
Roar Guru
yes, in theory Skelton is the team bully boy/enforcer... but how does he compare to the likes of Bakkies Botha? reality is he's more like a Victor Matfield with his hands tied behind his back so he can' win any lineouts....
niwdEyaJ
Roar Guru
how many of the best Kiwi franchise are in the All Blacks? SUPER RUGBY IS NOT THE SAME AS TEST RUGBY. Some players lift in national colours and play better at that level than at Super Rugby level (Nonu is a great example but Horwill is similar this season as we've seen), others struggle to step up (e.g. Douglas, Mumm, Skelton, Palu*). *Palu has at least had some great games in gold, but not recently and not consistently... other options such as Vaea and Timani could and should have been tested...
mania
Guest
niwdEyaJ thats harsh...but mostly tru skelton is the team bully boy. an enforcer hooper is awesome in open play, a bit light weight in the tight but has cajones to give it a go anyways. beale - can kick and play in all positions in the backs bar HB speight/tomane - i agree you only need one but you'd take both if you could mitchell - at this stage the jury is still out but drew hasnt done too bad for the time he's been given. i'm still not convinced that he's stll world class but he was once and they say class is permanent
Rupert
Guest
most of those players were the best aussie franchise for two years... and the others were from the 2nd best..a couple have doen well overseas....who exactly should replace them?.
niwdEyaJ
Roar Guru
Same could be said about a decent chunk of the remaining Wallatah squad... What does Douglas, Mumm, Skelton, Beale, Hooper, Speight/Tomane (only one of these guys is necessary in my opinion, either will do me, but not both), Foley, Palu or Mitchell add?
mania
Guest
fardy who? honestly i'm nt even sure what this guy brings to the team
Billy Pulver
Guest
He is under the radear because he has had 2 decent games in 12 months. Thankfully for us they've been the last two and theyv'e been against NZ.. Pleasing but no more than that frankly.