- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Wallaby coach Michael Cheika proved yesterday why he’s the reigning international rugby coach of 2015.
His 23-man squad to meet England at Suncorp tomorrow night is a cracker, but he must have agonised over condemning Ben McCalman and Will Skelton to the grandstand.
Cheika could so easily have selected McCalman for Dean Mumm and Skelton for James Horwill to make the Wallaby squad even stronger.
Friday night footy!
» New longform: ‘Rugby is a game, not a trade’: Australia’s first rugby Test against England
» Essendon vs Hawthorn: Friday Night Forecast
» The mid-year All Australian team: Rose and Ryan compare notes
» The June internationals Talking Points: Now that’s a centre pairing!
McCalman is far more consistent than Mumm and could play anywhere in the backrow, and Skelton’s size, strength, and speed for such tall timber is remarkable.
The thought of Skelton and debutant Rory Arnold playing together would have been an exciting combination.
Arnold, as the tallest Wallaby of all-time at 208 cm and a handy 120 kgs, plus Skelton’s 203 cm, 144-kg frame would have been the Wallabies biggest lock pairing and a mighty handful for England.
But Cheika wouldn’t have recalled Horwill from his delayed honeymoon if he didn’t intend to pick him.
Those suggestions take nothing away from the selected squad, just workable alternatives.
Cheika’s to be commended for the selections of Arnold, inside centre Samu Kerevi, winger Dane Haylett-Petty, and bench halfback Nick Frisby to make their international debuts.
Especially as Kerevi can play outside centre or wing, and Haylett-Petty fullback.
The pairing of two Fijians in the centres in Kerevi and Tevita Kuridrani is a mouth-watering prospect.
It’s even more exciting knowing Israel Folau can chime in from fullback, knowing Kerevi and Kuridrani will either make a bust or feed off Folau’s breaks at speed.
It’s interesting the majority of this Wallaby squad debuted on Robbie Deans’ watch – Rob Simmons (60 caps), James Slipper (74), Dean Mumm (44), Michael Hooper (51), David Pocock (55), Nick Phipps (39), Rob Horne (29), Israel Folau (38), and Christian Lealiifano (16).
Five debuted during Eddie Jones’ tenure – Stephen Moore (102), Tatafu Polota-Nau (61), Greg Holmes (24), Sekope Kepu (63), and James Horwill (61).
Four more from Ewen McKenzie’s reign – Scott Sio (16), Bernard Foley (27), Tevita Kuridrani (31), and Sean McMahon (6).
And another four from Cheika’s reign – Rory Arnold, Samu Kerevi, Dane Haylett-Petty, and Nick Frisby.
So 14 of the 23 have been around in gold jerseys since the Eddie Jones-Robbie Deans era – little wonder it’s a very experienced squad.
Deans debutants own 406 caps, Jones’ newcomers 311, and under McKenzie 80 caps.
For the record
Eddie Jones coached from July 2001 to November 2005 for 57 Tests with 33 wins for 57.9 per centJohn Connolly – June 2006 to October 2007 for 25 Tests, 16 wins, for 64 per cent.
Robbie Deans – June 2008 to July 2013 for 74 Tests, 43 wins, for 58.1 per cent.
Ewen McKenzie – August 2013 to October 2014 for 22 Tests, 11 wins, for 50 per cent.
And Michael Cheika – November 2014 to current for 16 Tests, 11 wins, for 68.8 per cent.