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Wallabies without a no. 8

ThoroughsTouws new author
Roar Rookie
19th September, 2018
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ThoroughsTouws new author
Roar Rookie
19th September, 2018
58
2651 Reads

When last did the Wallabies play with a genuine number 8? When did they last play a forward with height, speed, good hands, strong defence and, above all, a marauder, a ball carrier, someone who can make real metres and then link with supporting players?

Maybe Toutai Kefu, a member of the Wallaby world cup winning team in 1999? That was 21 years ago.

Who has been tried since?

Players like Wycliff Palu, Richard Brown, Rocky Elsom, Scott Higginbotham, Ben McCalman, David Pocock, and now Pete Samu, following Michael Hooper’s injury.

Scott Higginbotham has occasionally ‘looked the goods’ in Super Rugby with some fine marauding performances but, unfortunately, has not taken his chances when they have fallen his way at Test level. The rest have simply not cut the mustard as a No. 8 – Pocock is a genuine No. 7.

A current standout number 8 is, of course, the great All Black captain Kieran Read, who plays for the Crusaders, so successful in Super Rugby.

It is notable that Pete Samu, the current Wallaby number 8, is a regular member of the Crusaders’ bench. I had thought before the last couple of Wallaby games that Samu’s pedigree as a Crusaders bench player at no. 8, should make him good enough to be in the run-on side for the Wallabies.

But having seen his performances in the last two Wallaby matches, I have serious doubts. He certainly has displayed no evidence of being a marauding ball carrier.

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Can the Wallabies solve their no. 8 problems before next year’s world cup? This will be difficult.

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