There are several positions on the rugby pitch where Australian starting players would struggle to make the squads at New Zealand Super Rugby franchises.
Happily, the centre or #13 spot is not one of them.
Rob Horne is solid for the Waratahs (and has been for some seasons), while Tom English has completed a successful conversion from the wing to centre in Melbourne. For newcomer Curtis Rona, the positives have far outweighed the negatives after his transfer from league’s Canterbury Bulldogs to the Western Force.
The icing on the top of the cake is that Michael Cheika can call on two top-quality operators for the Wallabies, in the shape of established 44-cap international Tevita Kuridrani in Canberra and rising star Samu Kerevi at the Queensland Reds.
Centre is one position in which the All Blacks’ coaching staff would give serious consideration to selecting a Wallaby – were he available to them – in their forthcoming series against the British and Irish Lions.
Kuridrani and Kerevi are both very big men, who wield a big stick in terms of physicality and power.
Both weigh in at well over 100 kgs and are able to threaten the advantage line on first phase from set-piece. This, in turn, gives their teams the option to select a second distributor at #12 – Duncan Paia’aua for the Reds, Kyle Godwin for the Brumbies, potentially Kurtley Beale for the Wallabies.
The ultimate role model for big men in midfield in the modern game is Ma’a Nonu. After missing out on New Zealand’s disastrous 2007 World Cup campaign, Graham Henry decided to move Nonu from centre to second five-eighth, with Conrad Smith in the #13 jersey, and New Zealand have never looked back.
AFP PHOTO
During the 68 games they played together for the All Blacks over an eight-year span, Nonu and Smith were only on the losing side five times.
The development program Nonu had to undertake in order to become the #12 Henry wanted cannot be underestimated; he had to climb rugby’s equivalent of Mount Everest. Henry always selected a playmaker at second five-eighth previously, until the seismic upheaval of the 2007 World Cup sent shockwaves through his rugby thinking. Luke McAlister and Aaron Mauger (both players with extensive experience in the #10 jersey) were the incumbents up until that ill-fated quarter-final in Cardiff.
Nonu had to learn the requirements of long passing, a positional kicking game and footwork in heavy traffic in order to succeed at the new spot, and to his eternal credit he managed it all while maintaining the advantages of the ‘big body’ in contact situations.
Kerevi is built along the same lines as Nonu. Both are listed at 108 kgs, while Kerevi is by four centimetres the taller of the two, at 1.86m.
So can Kerevi follow Nonu’s path and shift inside?
At the moment there is precious little evidence of either the deft long-passing or tactical kicking games necessary to implement the transition successfully – but with Mick Byrne (kicking) and Steve Larkham (passing) both entrenched in the Wallaby coaching hierarchy, there is sound reason to believe that those skills can be taught over time.
There are however, plenty of promising signs that Kerevi has already picked up the third element – footwork in traffic.
Footwork before contact is what makes a big man a really potent attacking force in tight spaces.
Although Kuridrani is generally misunderstood as solely a straight-line, crash-ball merchant, he too has the ability to change direction within a couple of strides in order to defeat a defender. On the 2016 end-of-year tour, Kuridrani’s footwork was at the heart of the Wallabies’ final go-ahead score against Scotland in the 76th minute.
It is first-phase lineout and there is a defender rapidly closing him down. Kuridrani’s objective is that he is trying to build a scenario where he is running through an arm-tackle. That is where he knows that his power and size will be at its most effective, when he is running through an arm, rather than trying to bulldoze an entire body.
In order to create the arm-tackle scenario, Kuridrani approaches the defender (Scotland’s Peter Horne) square-on, with a ‘bounce’ in the stride before contact, which means that as his feet leave the ground, he can go either way (first screenshot).
Horne’s centre of gravity is forward and he is aligned on the inside half of Kuridrani’s body. If Kuridrani can change direction within two strides, there will be space in the outside gap (“1” in the first screenshot).
Kuridrani’s first stride takes him further away from Horne and into the arm-tackle ‘hot zone’ (second screenshot). By the third he is already through the gap and it is too late for the defender to recover.
Wide receivers and running backs in American football are specifically trained to beat a one-on-one tackle within two steps. Any more than that, and the tackler has time to adjust. The following video gives a flavour of the supple movement, quick feet, and rapid changes of direction of which they are capable:
In the Rebels-Reds game, from the point of view of offensive statistics, Kerevi had a day to remember. He racked up 150 metres on 15 carries, scoring two tries and making two try assists (one of which was hauled back for a forward pass by George Smith), in addition to four clean breaks, nine defenders beaten, three offloads, and one fumble recovery for good measure.
Much of his impact was derived from the same ability Kuridrani flashed against Scotland – to change direction within two strides, and expose a defender. Just like Kuridrani, he did it ‘in the clutch’ with the fate of the game on the line:
The score and the movement which produced it are carbon copies of the Kuridrani version against Scotland. The initial ‘bounce before contact’ versus a defender (the Rebels’ #7 Will Miller) whose momentum is forward and aligned on the inside half of the attacker’s body, the two-step shift outside through an arm-tackle and into space, are all exactly the same.
In real time, Kerevi’s movement can be observed from the end-on angle at the end of the official highlight reel from the match.
This was not the only occasion in the game where Kerevi’s footwork created an opportunity for the Reds.
Another step-and-offload is enough to generate space for the scoring pass to Scott Higginbotham in the 49th minute (again viewed from behind the posts in slo-mo at 2:01 on the reel).
A sequence from early in the game illustrated Kerevi’s ability to step in the opposite direction – back inside and ‘against the grain’ – versus one the Rebels’ most accurate back-line defenders, left wing Marika Koroibete:
Here Koroibete is in good position to contain the cutback off Kerevi’s left foot, but the bounce-and-step is still sharp enough to draw an arm tackle and create a clean bust down the middle of the field anyway.
One final example showed how quickly Kerevi reads the play and gets into his two-step evasive manoeuvre:
In the first couple of screenshots, Kerevi is anticipating Koroibete’s angle, jamming in off the outside edge. He is into his ‘bounce’ early, cutting back inside Koroibete and creating enough space to deliver an offload out of his right hand to Quade Cooper circling around for a second touch in the movement – and that usually spells danger for the defence!
Summary
Kurtley Beale and Karmichael Hunt will both be the wrong side of 30 when the 2019 World Cup in Japan swings around, so the long-term selection plans in the centres will make for fascinating viewing.
Does Cheika envisage ‘double K’, with both Kurtley and Karmichael in the back-line at 12 and 15 respectively? Or will he see it with the two Fijians, Kerevi and Kuridrani, partnering each other at 12 and 13 instead?
For the latter to occur, it will require a monumental effort in skills development by Kerevi, following the illustrious example of Ma’a Nonu. The good news is that Kerevi already has added razor-sharp footwork and offloading ability to his natural power and size.
If Mick Byrne can coax a kicking game, and Stephen Larkham some accurate long passing skills, Kerevi will become an all-rounder in the Nonu mould and render the selection of a second playmaker at #12 obsolete.
The defence will be automatically upgraded with Kerevi and Kuridrani outside Michael Hooper from lineouts, and Australia will finally have a Wallaby of the very highest All Black quality at the centre of their back-line.
It is a mouth-watering thought, even if there are several bridges yet to be crossed.
Rouaan
Guest
Dear Nic A favour....Can you perhaps write an article on the current AUS (both Super teams and Wallabies) defensive approach and structure. In my humble view, there are MANY obtrusive challenges and I can't understand why the coaches and even the players themselves can't address it. It is ridiculous to see it play out every match and especially in the first 10 minutes of a game. It is sooooo frustrating. Secondly...Can you also write about the much anticipated Coaching Summit that's going to happen? Thanx Rouaan
Nicholas Bishop
Expert
Yes that sense of connectivity is everything, and it is a concern if the Reds organisation is drifting away from the foundation of its support in the clubs. Guys like George Smith can do a lot to help in those situations, but they can only do it if the administrative tide is rolling in the same direction. Lesson of King Canute. It sounds that the issue of NRC players like Cornelsen and Greene getting SR contracts will be an important litmus test of the connection between levels in the game.
Fin
Guest
Hi Nick, Great afternoon of club rugby today. Made even better because the Reds are not playing this weekend so Nick Stiles released the squad to go and play for their respective clubs. We went down to watch the Tongan Thor take on Jake McIntyre's club. Thor in particular was really enjoying the outing. Laughing and joking with his mates a lot. But he did manage to spend some time in the bin for a no arms tackle. It was brutal. McIntyre was playing at 12 for his club. All in all a great afternoon out watching some rugby in the Brisbane suburbs.
Fin
Guest
Hi Nick, On my morning walk this morning I happen to run into Jeff Miller the QRU president (he also lives nearby). I decided to approach him and we got talking about rugby. He has not been back in the administration side of Queensland rugby for all that long but he told me that his focus is more on the club game. The Reds are like a separate organisation to the QRU and the Reds are controlled by a board. I had no idea that was the basic organisational structure. Can you beleive that? It sounds like a major disconnect. From what I can gather the Reds are not a Queensland team anymore. They are basically a franchise that operate in a silo. That's why for example they wear their major sponsors colours (red), rather than the traditional Queensland maroon. It's also probably why they are losing their connection with the grass roots. Anyway, Miller had great words to say about Goerge Smith and his contribution to club rugby off the field. He said he has been great with his time devoted to his local club and fully understood his responsibility to the rugby community. Even though he has never played for them or lived in Brisbane before, in his spare time Smith will always be down there and help out with coaching the kids as well as socialising with the punters in the clubhouse afterwards. On the subject of the next generation, Greg Martin was accurate with his identification on who I was referring to in my earlier post. Nick a couple of weeks ago you asked me if I thought that some of the more promising NRC players were going to make their way into super rugby squads as the contracts with some of the existing underperforming fringe players begin to expire. If that is the plan (and I am not saying that it isn't) then young Queensland NRC players like Jack Cornelsen and Sam Greene should be encouraged and mentored along the way so that they are Super Rugby ready when the time comes to graduate and move into that higher level. If they are given no encouragement or feedback then of course they are going to look elsewhere for career progression, and then that kind of defeats the main purpose for having the NRC doesn't it?
Nicholas Bishop
Expert
I'm sure SH will be in the mix somewhere come June Fin. The main question for Cheika is how much time he wants to invest in a 30 year old - I would have him behind Timani at 8 and McMahon at 6, because significant time has been spent on those players and the coaching group will want to see it repaid (and they are both much younger)...
Nicholas Bishop
Expert
KB was tried at 10 (without any obv success) by Ewen McKenzie. IMO he is not a 10 at all.
Nicholas Bishop
Expert
Thanks Fin - Reds is still his obv destination!
Centreman
Guest
Looked up the top try scorers so far and Lauampe is top with 11 and Aso second with 10. Smith and Nonu now a distant memory for the Hurricanes. How can we compete with the NZ production line.
Joe
Roar Rookie
How about Beale at 10, KK centres and Folau at fullback. No one needs to be hidden in defense.
Fin
Guest
Hi Nick, Here's Stiles' view on Higgers. Stiles said Higginbotham needed to “change some perceptions around how he plays” if Cheika was to pick him again. Cheika went cold on Higginbotham after he struggled to assert himself in the 24-20 win over the Springboks in Brisbane in 2015. “I think his performances over the past month should be doing that at the moment,” Stiles told foxsports.com.au during his side’s bye week. “Cheika likes a big, physical, abrasive forward and for me, the way Scott Higginbotham has been playing for us, he’s been used more through the middle and a lot with his carries. “He’s worked very hard with defence and probably the last bit of his game that he’s working harder on is his attacking breakdown clean-outs. “Once he gets that sorted he becomes a very polished footballer." Stiles was loving Higginbotham’s productivity for his club, sitting second in the Australian conference with 16 points. “He’s good at set-piece, he’s good aerially and he’s a backrower that you’d love to see given another opportunity for the Wallabies,” Stiles said. “It’s something when I spoke to him about coming back to Australia, he was really keen to come back and work on those areas, in terms of carrying the ball hard through the middle and his breakdown work. “I think he’s really improved since when he was last in Australia in those areas. “And he was passionate about if he was going to come back to Australia, he wanted to come back and play for the Wallabies and that was an important goal. “He wasn’t coming back just to settle back in Brisbane, he came back because he’s competitive and wants to play at the top level again.”
Fin
Guest
Here you go Nick. Another update on the Will Genia situation. http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/will-genia-faces-long-road-back-to-super-rugby-says-mate-quade-cooper/news-story/92700a6a218135d20115c304869036f0
MitchO
Guest
DHP is working on coming into the line and distributing. He's is not the playmaker that Beale is but he's working on it and it is not a lost cause. He did pretty well earlier in the season.
Nicholas Bishop
Expert
I think the Hurricanes centre pairing have scored more tries between them than the whole Rebels team. That is just the kind of stat which could well be true this season... :)
Nicholas Bishop
Expert
Player size is one of the major issues in talent I.D Browny. I'm convinced that someone like Shane Williams would prob get shelved by the system of talent I.D in Wales as being 'too small' now. Prob he would never get the chance to express himself at a higher level. Ever since Warren Gatland arrived in Wales, the drive has been towards bigger and more powerful athletes. Not a bad theory as long as you don't overlook the players that don't fit the physical mould you want. While the conditioning of the Welsh players improved enormously, it also meant that all the skills-based individuals who were around at the start of WG's tenure were replaced by bigger and more powerful men. Dwayne Peel by Mike Phillips, Martyn Williams by Sam Warburton, Gavin Henson by Jamie Roberts, Shane Williams by North/Cuthbert etc... It's not that the bigger guys are bad players, it's that after a while you get a team that has no points of difference. Everyone has the same strengths and you get what Wales has now - a big strong team that is effectively stuck in one pattern of play.
Nicholas Bishop
Expert
I could go on but the prob starts at talent Id blokes who grab the huge 15 yr olds put them in development squads because they dominate their comps but they don’t develop any other skills than bulldozing over people and by age of 20 there are a heap of these generic talentless monsters who the academy guys continue to promote cos they found them. You could transpose that comment to the rugby situation in Wales and it would be just apt. In the 'inverted pyramid' structure in both countries (based on national team success but at the cost of grass roots and even regional rugby) this is exactly what happens, and the result is the starvation of the club game and rugby's deepest traditions. Ironically it doesn't even promote the development of the best prospects at international level in any case. That is why Australia is having to import Kiwi knowledge as a kind of emergency skills service - to catch up on developments that should have happened much earlier in a player's career.
Centreman
Guest
I think the Hurricanes centre pairing have scored more tries between them than the whole Rebels team. Anyone got the stats?
RobC
Roar Guru
Fin, interesting topic. Ive always throught Greene is the form 5/8 of his generation, but stuck behind JakeMc: - Thats only because Jake was the 10 in the side who won the NRC, coached by Stiles. - Sam Greene was the 10 behind the NRC Qld "leftovers", to put it unfairly. Sam was always the best 10 since high school: - Kicks, passes, runs, running the game. - Jake is a better tackler, and has a smaller ego. Greene didnt get much of a run last year or prev: - So he went to Japan. Havent had a chance to see how he's going there. - Would be good to see him back, maybe. If on the right terms. Im curious though to find know. Who's the current batch of the best 17yo Queenslander flyhalfs?
Browny
Roar Rookie
Geez that's amazing, Fin. Really makes you wonder about the whole situation. How many more guys like Greene and Cornelsen are there floating through the system (or floating out of it). This is where I think a draft might help Australian rugby; if all the teams are picking players at the same time from a registered draft then hopefully less of these kids miss out. And if they're not ready at 20, that's fine, they can enter the draft again and get picked up down the track when they fill out. One of the better things (I believe) that's come out of the AFL expansion (and a large proportion of the top draft picks going to GCS and GWS) is that the other clubs have had to look a little further to find quality players. Guys who might have missed out previously because they were too small (Caleb Daniels - 167cm) or late bloomers (Michael Barlow, James Podsiadly, Marcus Adams, Tom Stewart, etc) are now getting a chance and some of them flourish where 10 years ago the majority of these guys would have been ignored at the national draft when they were 18 years old and that would be that. Rugby needs some kind of kick not just in the way it identifies and develops talent but then also how the talent is distributed and we ensure that the best possible opportunities are afforded to all players who genuinely could make it.
Fin
Guest
Hi Nick, I took on board your advise and sent my earlier post in this thread onto a few connections in the hope that it may make a difference at QRU headquarters. As far as I know the message has not at this point reached anyone at the QRU but it has got to Greg Martin (who has a deep understanding of Queensland rugby and the inner workings of the QRU). This was Marto's unedited straight to the point response. Not sure who the other kid is but in terms of Cornys boy Jack -he is Srugby ready-i was talking to Steven Moore about him last week and he can't believe he's being ignored. Sam Cordingley head of reds recruitment seems to be the problem. I could go on but the prob starts at talent Id blokes who grab the huge 15 yr olds put them in development squads because they dominate their comps but they don't develop any other skills than bulldozing over people and by age of 20 there are a heap of these generic talentless monsters who the academy guys continue to promote cos they found them. Meanwhile I've been watching a bit of club footy-and there's lots of kids who fill out by 20 but tactically are far advanced and have strategies that make them far better players. I just realised the other kid you're referring to is Sam Greene. I've watched and known him since he was a kid -he should be starting for reds ahead of Quade. It's a disgrace that people keep their empires. Tell your mates that feedback!
ClarkeG
Guest
It would be no bother at all Dave.