Hodge happy at lucky No.13

He regards outside centre the hardest backline spot to defend but Wallabies utility Reece Hodge is comfortable he can handle it given the chance.

With Samu Kerevi and Tevita Kuridrani ruled out of the Rugby Championship opener against New Zealand on August 18, Hodge looms as a contender to fill the spot.

The 23-year-old Melbourne Rebels star looks likely to get some time there on Friday when the Wallabies squad tackle a Super Selection side in a trial at Sydney’s Leichhardt Oval.

Hodge has never started a Test in the No.13 jersey but did play outside centre in 2018 with the Rebels.

“It’s a position I”m comfortable playing if I’m put in that position,” he said on Wednesday.

Hodge regards it as the toughest defensive assignment because he says the area between outside centre and wing is the biggest in the backline.

“Just because you”ve got so much space between the 13 and the wing and having to do all the decision-making in defence,” Hodge said.

“It really helps if you have a vocal 10 and 12 who can direct you around and make good decisions inside you and that helps the connection with the winger.

“It’s a real challenge to make sure that defensive channel is shored up come game time but I think we’ll be confident we’ve shored it up.”

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika is keeping Hodge guessing about where he will play him on Friday.

“He’s pretty much told me I’m preparing for everything,” Hodge said.

“If you look at the last 18 months, I’ve pretty much been on the bench covering every position, so I would have had a matter of 30 seconds preparation for each.

‘So whatever position I play going forward I should be prepared for it.”

He spent the last few weeks of the Rebels Super campaign at five-eighth and is happy to flit between playmaking and outside back roles.

He’s never played at halfback in senior rugby but lays claim to otherwise having occupied every backline spot.

“In an under 12s carnival I did play 9 once upon a time, so I can tick all of them off,” he said.