Let me attempt to draw some kind of parallel between Donald Trump’s diplomacy at the UN and Jordan Uelese’s Wallabies future.
It’s absurd, I know. I shouldn’t go there. But I’m feeling bold. Fearless. Ridiculous. Wacky. Unashamed. Trump-like, I suppose. And I’ll accept no responsibility if it goes horribly wrong.
So with North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-Un prodding the West over his nuclear arms stash, Trump stood up at the United Nations HQ in New York this week and trotted out a few restrained lines about patience and global solidarity.
“But if it is forced to defend itself and its allies, we will have no choice but to totally destroy North Korea,” Trump added.
“Our government’s first duty is to its people… to serve their needs… to preserve their rights, and to defend their values. As President of the United States, I will always put America first.”
His stance is that hopefully sanctions and diplomatic pressure will put the brakes on ‘Rocket Man’, but no matter what the UN resolves, Trump retains the right to put the US first and do what is best for his country.
Now, Uelese is the 20-year-old hooker who, with just 28 minutes of Super Rugby under his belt with the Melbourne Rebels this season, unbelievably got a Wallabies debut off the bench in Australia’s 23-23 draw with South Africa a fortnight ago in Perth.
To get a run, it took Stephen Moore to be absent for the birth of his child and starting hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau to leave the field after copping a shoulder to the eye from Jesse Kriel.
Nonetheless, Uelese is highly rated and was a standout for Australia’s under-20s team at the junior World Cup this year. He showed in his few minutes against the Boks that he’s a strong ball carrier and he’s reportedly a bone-rattler in defence.
It seems like one of his biggest fans is Michael Cheika. The Wallabies coach was keen to introduce Uelese to the international stage at a very young age, especially for a front-rower.
How does Uelese prove to Cheika – and everyone else – he’s got the game and consistency to win more Wallabies caps? With Moore retiring and Tatafu Polota-Nau injury-prone, how does he prove he’s the cannonball the Wallabies could well do with at the World Cup in two years? Super Rugby, of course.
And here’s the dilemma.
Uelese could very well not get a nod in the Rebels’ match-day 23 next season.
(Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
James Hanson is the Rebels’ number-one No.2. He’s a 29-year-old who is tough and mobile and is likely coming into his best years. He’s won Wallabies honours too. He played 14 games for the Rebels in their woeful Super Rugby season in 2017.
Pat Leafa and Siliva Siliva were the other hookers in the squad and both are very solid performers. It seems they’re unsigned for next year, and there’s every chance that given the Western Force’s axing, Wallabies first-choice hooker Polota-Nau or Heath Tessmann could get a gig at the Rebels. Perhaps both.
The pecking orders across a number of positions are likely to change at a few of Australia’s Super Rugby squads over the next few months as Force players are set free.
So what does the incoming coach at the Rebels – most likely the Western Force’s Dave Wessels – owe Cheika?
After Cheika bemoaned the poor fitness levels of the Wallabies squad when they came together for the June Tests, ARU chief executive Bill Pulver said there would be a push to get the Super Rugby coaches singing from the same hymn sheet as the big boss.
Sounds great in theory, right? Calling the shots from St Leonards means the best for the Wallabies.
But as they say, after all is said and done, more is said than done.
Wessels is Trump. In good faith – or not – he can look to win friends at the ARU and stay chummy with Cheika, but his overarching motivation will be to win games for the Rebels.
He will be paid by the Rebels and he will be answerable to his board, fans, sponsors and players.
It’s the disconnect between a national governing body and a professional domestic competition.
It’s nothing new. The club versus country battle has been fought for many years in many sports.
As a recent example, Victoria’s non-selection of Glenn Maxwell early last Sheffield Shield cricket season created angst with Australia’s coach Darren Lehmann, who was eyeing the allrounder for his touring squad to India earlier this year.
Wessels will just want to win games. It’s his career on the line. It’s the Rebels’ viability and future on the line. This year with the Force’s demise has illustrated how tenuous a club’s foothold in a competition can be. And if there’s a team that sorely need some victories, and quickly, it’s this season’s wooden spooners.
To borrow some of Trump’s language, perhaps Wessels’ attitude will be “my first duty is to the Rebels… to serve their needs… as coach of the Rebels, I will always put them first.”
(AAP Image/Joe Castro)
Perhaps Wessels will pick Uelese purely because he believes he’s the best hooker in his squad. Nothing to see here. No dilemma. No battle. No diplomacy required.
But it looms as a test for Cheika, who’s been promised to have more sway in decision-making at Super Rugby level. But I get the feeling Cheika will feel like a UN secretary general, who lobbies hard but can’t stop a sovereign nation from looking after themselves.
Kurtley Beale is another who might create a scrap. Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson will almost certainly want him next to Bernard Foley at inside centre, but what if there’s an injury to Israel Folau?
Imagine the Test season is a few months away and Cheika wants that combination unbroken for the Wallabies’ sake? But Gibson’s coaching future is at stake and he wants to put Beale at fullback. He’s got a better option at No.12. It could get awkward.
But Uelese’s scenario seems the most intriguing. Has there been a Wallaby who has gone back to their Super Rugby team and failed to even get on the bench?
Adsa
Guest
Thanks Don, that made interesting reading.
Timbo (L)
Roar Guru
Tenuous links to Trump and 'lil kim aside, it is an interesting premise and debate. The Kiwis seem to have it right, the SR franchises playing a similar brand of rugby allowing players to be interchangeable, The next tier s down marching to the same tune also. Do we want
54 Australian teams playing like the WallaTahs? The premise is that Chiekaball is the right way to play rugby and getting the whole of Australia to play the same way will be a good thing. I think the opposite. From what I saw this season, "Wessels Way" produces a powerful style of rugby and near the end of the season, the inexperienced players thrown into the fore due to injury, were just starting to hit their straps and perform. Fiji aside, it can be seen in the Spirit as well. God, or your Deity of choice, help us if we move to Australia wide Cheikaball. It will be an unmitigated disaster. Part two is the selection practices. What hope does Australia have in retaining talent if 28 minutes is all it takes to qualify for Wallabies selection, Leap-frogging other established, talented players. Full respect and best wishes to Ulese and Dempsey but they have not earned their place in the team. There are others.P2R2
Roar Rookie
oh he was 11 - so he had 11 years of which 6 would have been learning and playing rugby....but that is the normal modus for AUS ....grab anything coming out of NZ and claim it as your own,.....just like Phar Lap...et al
P2R2
Roar Rookie
Des Conner wanted to play for NZ - was never pinched
double agent
Guest
I can't even read stuff on the Roar Rugby page without seeing some reference to Donald Trump.
PM
Guest
Mate find your introduction of Trump to what is supposed to be a sporting forum absurd. Where I am working what is happening with North Korea and US is having an extreme effect on all those that are close to possible strike zones. Rugby is a sport enjoyed by many people and me and the lads I am with love the Wallabies regardless of how the game plays out. If things go bad in the next couple of months I guarantee you Rugby and the Wallabies will be the last thing on your mind. The boys will do their best and the circle will turn. Just glad I am not in the trenches with some of the desk jockies in Australia.
Schuey
Guest
I just skipped the Trump stuff at the start. Boring. Just get to the point.
Reverse Wheel
Guest
Shh. That doesn't gel with the oh-so-not-at-all-tiresome "bash the Waratahs at every opportunity" narrative of the roar.
Rhys Bosley
Guest
Fair nuff.
ThugbyFan
Guest
Bird Dog Johnny, you are so right. My immediate thought upon seeing Drumpf's name in an article of Jordan Uelese was "Oh my my, JU is a p*$$y grabber??"
sheek
Roar Guru
Does anyone else immediately think of another word when they see Uelese's name, or is only me? Happens almost every time I see his name in print. I say another word & then, "oh hang on, that's the new Wallaby hooker's name". And it's spelt & pronounced differently!
The Big Red V
Guest
I love reading the Roar and there is always a great cross section of armchair critics to keep everyone entertained. One of the common themes however is the pumping up of young players - this "kid" is good, or has potential, or playing out of his skin etc etc. All potentially true but when young hookers (for example) are compared to the likes of TPN or Moore, you are using a pretty low benchmark to say they are any good. These days, those 2 guys would not get a run on for any provincial NZ rugby team and here we are holding them up as the benchmark by which we compare emerging Wallabies likes Uelese?? If they reach the dizzying heights of Moore and Co, they won't be far off the ground..... And what's the matter with getting selected to play for Australia whilst not playing SR?? Did Phil Kearns not get picked straight from Randwick (Reserve Grade??) to play for the Wallabies - stepping over one Eddie Jones? I'm sure someone will correct me if (?) I am wrong.....
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Taf will go overseas. He only went to the Force because he signed an overseas contract, the Waratahs signed Roach and Fitzpatrick, then he failed his medical and the contract fell through. The Force picked him up when he had no other options. Highly unlikely he will stick around, and highly unlikely he was going to had the Force not been cut. As for Tessman. I doubt he will get a contract with any team in Australia. He's 33 years old and never really been more than a fringe Super Rugby player at his peak. He's the type of person I feel for with this situation as he has missed the boat for Japan and Europe for this year and may not get another professional contract.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
How's that? Poorly?
PiratesRugby
Guest
You mean you want every team playing like the Waratahs?
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Geez mate is fact checking a new concept to you? Pat Leafa is signed for 2018. To RC Vannes in Pro D2. In France. Siliva is currently unsigned for 2018. I can say with absolutely certainty that Heath Tessman won't be taking Jordan Uelese's spot. And since Tatafu Polata-Nau signed with a UK Club for 2017, and the detail fell through on medical grounds, I'd say it's a fair chance he will be going overseas after his one year contract for 2017 ends. Jordan finished 2018 on the bench ahead of Pat Leafa and Siliva Siliva. There's no reason to think this won't continue to be the case in 2018.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
No he hasn't. He has signed a short term injury cover contract until November. He is signed to the Rebels for 2018.
Akari
Roar Rookie
AUS should and must poach more of the buggers as they all can't make the ABs or, if they do, another one will show up and pull the rug from right underneath the incumbent. It's good for rugby.
Terry Tavita
Guest
both samoans..should be a bullfight
Tooly
Roar Rookie
I would hope that the best player in any position gets picked in any Test side or Super Rugby side certainly not one that Chekko of all people has spotted . We have already had an exodus of good players he has insulted or ignored we are not that blessed with talent that we can lose any of them on the whim of such a poor judge . This boy maybe very good but I can't see exceptional he has no pace . These days front rowers are merely spectators it is the back five who are vital to winning rugby and we only have Pocock .