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There are three defining dates this year that can dramatically lift the Wallaby’s sagging status, and they all surround Isi Naisarani.
On April 7, the Fijian flattener officially becomes eligible to play for his adopted Australia, on July 20 Naisarani must make his Wallaby debut against the Boks at Ellis Park in the shortened Rugby Championship opening round, and November 2 will be the Rugby World Cup final at Yokohama City.
The Wallabies haven’t had a full-time, world-class No 8 since the Tongan tornado Toutai Kefu who dominated between 1997 and 2003 to earn 60 caps.
In the most golden era of Wallaby rugby, they filled the then Rugby AU trophy cabinet with the 1999 Rugby World Cup, four Bledisloe Cups in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002, two Tri-Nations in 2000 and 2001, plus the history-making series win over the British and Irish Lions in 2001.
They were lucky to have the Wallabies’ most successful coach Rod Macqueen in charge for all of those successes bar the 2002 Bledisloe when Eddie Jones took over, but Macqueen was also lucky on his watch to have legends like John Eales, George Smith, Tim Horan, Matt Burke, Joe Roff, and Chris Latham to call on, just to name a few.
Isi Naisarani runs the ball during his time with the Perth Spirit. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)
It’s a vastly different story now, with the Wallabies at an all-time low.
But there’s a major change in the wind with the arrival of Scott Johnson and Michael O’Connor as two new selectors with beleaguered coach Michael Cheika – and Naisarani.
He will make an instant impact as other Suva-born legends have done in rugby union and rugby league before him, like Tevita Kuridrani, Petero Civoniceva, Waisele Serevi, Sitiveni Sivivatu, and Henry Speight.
And with the Naisarani frame boasting 195cms, and 110kgs, of sheer aggression in attack and defence, the end of the Pooper experiment is over, and not before time.
The three selectors will have one of the biggest, and most mobile, packs in world rugby to pick from with Naisarani, Adam Coleman 204-122, Rory Arnold 208-120, Izack Rodda 202-119, Luke Jones 196-111, and Angus Cottrell 191-105.
The starting backrow of Jones, or Cottrell, at six, David Pocock where he belongs at seven, and captain, with Naisarani at No 8, is an exciting prospect in such a big year for the 15-man code.
Frustrated Wallaby supporters can take heart the Wallabies can make the Cup final with only form players in their rightful positions will now be selected – no more hit and miss selections that have proved so costly in the past.
It’s no coincidence that the Melbourne Rebels are the best Super Rugby side currently leading the Australian Conference having the best coach in David Wessels.
The Rebels will provide the selectors with props Jermaine Ainsley and Tetera Faulkner, locks Coleman and Matt Philip, back-rowers Jones and Cottrell, half Will Genia, flyhalf Quade Cooper, centre Billy Meakes, utilities Matt Toomua, Reece Hodge and Dane Haylett-Petty, along with wingers Jack Maddocks, Marika Koriobete, and Sefa Naivalu.
He’s baaaaack…. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
The Brumbies have props Scott Sio, Allan Alaalatoa, and James Slipper, hooker Folau Fainga’a, lock Arnold, back-row Pocock and Lachlan McCaffrey, half Joe Powell, utility Christian Lealiifano, centre Kuridrani, with Tom Banks and Speight.
The Reds boast Wallaby prospects in prop Taniela Tupou, hooker Brandon Paenga-Amosa, locks Rodda and Harry Hockings, back-row Scott Higginbotham, Caleb Timu, and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, formerly Lukhan Tui, half Tate McDermott, centres Samu Kerevi and Chris Feavai-Sautia, plus wingers Naivalu and Jordan Petaia.
That leaves the Waratahs providing Sekope Kepu, Harry Johnson-Holmes, and Tom Robertson, hooker Tatafa Polota-Nau, locks Rob Simmons, and Ned Hanigan, back-rowers Michael Hooper, Jack Dempsey, Jed Holloway, and Michael Wells, half Jake Gordon, flyhalf Bernard Foley, centres Kurtley Beale and Karmichael Hunt, wingers Alex Newsome and Curtis Rona with fullback Israel Folau,
While there are many genuine Wallaby contenders among the four franchises, it will be Isi Naisarani who will be guaranteed to create the most attention.
Only because he deserves it.