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Just as well Israel Folau did his hamstring, or he’d probably still be wasted on the Waratah wing.
But the enforced five-week break has led to coach Daryl Gibson having a rethink.
Tomorrow night, Folau makes his comeback as fullback, against the Blues, with the clash being played at Brookvale – or, more accurately, Lottoland.
That’s a whole heap better than Folau on the wing, which was a Disneyland selection.
Why would any coach switch one of his most devastating attackers from the wide spaces of fullback to the confined space of a winger?
Sure he scored, but there was every chance he would have scored multiple tries had he been the custodian, picking and choosing when he either wanted to join the backline, or follow a Bernard Foley or Kurtley Beale chip kick.
Come tomorrow night, Folau can link with Foley and Beale to create the havoc he’s renowned for, from the start.
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This is also the first Waratahs game since that history-making scoreless effort against the Lions, the first big fat zero in 23 years of NSW Super Rugby.
And there are implications as a result.
The only total casualty is winger Alex Newsome, who against the Lions looked as though he had never played a game of rugby in his entire life.
Newsome will be in the stand, but centre Curtis Rona and temporary fullback Bryce Hegarty have been demoted to the bench.
Cam Clark replaces Newsome, while Lalakai Foketi will play outside Beale.
Nick Phipps can count himself lucky he’s not in the crowd as well after his disgraceful behaviour at his bucks party, for which he was fined $4000 – the equivalent of being bashed with a feather.
But he is on the bench, playing second fiddle to the far younger and far better Jake Gordon, who should be Will Genia’s understudy when the three Tests against Ireland hit in June.
Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images
The Blues are languishing on the bottom of the New Zealand conference, while the Waratahs are leading the Australian conference, but no Aussie team has beaten a Kiwi side in the last 36 Super Rugby clashes, dating back to May 2016.
That’s a mighty embarrassing stat.
Be warned, the Blues won’t be any pushover, although the Waratahs have plenty to prove after their pointless performance last time out.
Now that Israel Folau is back to fullback, NSW fans can breathe a bit easier.