With the 40-man Wallabies training squad announced, what was evident is the depth of in-form players in the forwards.
With the exception of loosehead prop – where from a national perspective you would have to question the move of Harry Johnson-Holmes to tighthead where there is plenty of depth – the forward positions are ultra competitive, which will only increase with the return of overseas-based locks Izack Rodda and Matt Philip and captain Michael Hooper.
One area that has some questions around it is how the Wallabies will look in the key ten-12 axis moving forward. The Wallabies have been at their recent best with a ball-playing 12 in the mould of Elton Flatley, Christian Lealiifano, Matt Giteau or Kurtley Beale, who all had plenty of experience playing ten for their clubs and also on occasion for the Wallabies.
This axis has then been complemented with a line-breaking fullback with Mat Rogers, Chris Latham, Israel Folau and the versatile Beale being electric in this role over the years.
While the All Blacks have had success with ball players at ten and 15 and strong ball runners at 12, this has not always paid dividends for the Wallabies, which was evident at the last World Cup with Samu Kerevi at 12 and Dane Haylett-Petty at 15.
(Photo by Speed Media/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
In Dave Rennie’s current squad, the most obvious ball-playing 12 is Matt To’omua playing outside of James O’Connor. When playing together in 2020, the Wallabies scored three tries with these two playmakers in 120 minutes of rugby (away in New Zealand) compared with only four tries in the remaining 360 minutes.
Once To’omua and then O’Connor went down with injuries question marks were raised as to who could come into the ball-playing 12 positions.
Irae Simone was the next in line for the 12 jersey. He has again shown great form for the Brumbies in Super Rugby AU but does not possess the same play-making abilities that previous Wallabies 12s have had at their disposal.
Hunter Paisami performed admirably in the 12 position against the All Blacks and Argentina but again he is not a play-making 12 but more of a strong ball carrier.
It is, however, clear to see that he is working on his distribution and kicking skills at the Reds, but currently he offers far more value as a 13 for the Wallabies and it would be great to see him, Len Ikitau and Izaia Perese battling it out for the Wallabies’ 13 jersey moving forward, raising the level of all three players.
Hamish Stewart has the credentials to be a play-making 12 with his previous experience at ten for both the Reds and Junior Wallabies. It would be great to see him have another crack at the ten role for the Reds now with the confidence that he can perform at Super Rugby level to provide another ball-playing option at 12 for the Wallabies.
Similar to To’omua, his defensive credentials also make him a desirable option for this position.
Looking further ahead and post 2023, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Noah Lolesio become the Wallabies’ 12 with Will Harrison at ten, replicating the successful partnership from the 2019 Junior World Cup.
(Photo by Andrew Phan/supplied by Rugby Australia)
With ball players in the ten and 12 axis, it allows for a line-breaking, counter-attacking player to be slotted in at fullback.
Tom Banks and Reece Hodge are the incumbents of the Wallabies’ 15 jersey and while they are both reliable and have many positives, they have yet to show that game-breaking, counter-attacking threat at international level that can punish wayward opposition kicks as they have been able to do in Super Rugby AU.
Outside of these two, Jock Campbell is currently the Reds’ 15 but has yet to receive an international call-up. A concern is perhaps his size to be an international 15 and he may need to look at adding another dimension to his game.
Leigh Halfpenny may not have received half the amount of caps if it wasn’t for his incredible accuracy from the kicking tee, especially with Liam Williams pushing him for the Wales fullback jersey.
Campbell’s kicking percentage from the tee prior to O’Connor taking over was 57 per cent and that should be an area that he focuses on moving forward to add another string to his bow and make the national selectors take note.
A player that has the potential to unlock defences is Jordan Petaia and while he already has many attributes required for the fullback position, he needs to be playing 15 regularly in order to be considered.
Out of the aforementioned players, Petaia is a player that offers the highest ceiling and with the depth at 13 with Paisami, Ikitau, Tevita Kuridrani and Perese, from a national team perspective, fullback should be the home for Petaia.
If the Wallabies can find the depth in the ten, 12 and 15 positions, with the exciting talents at scrumhalf, outside centre and on the wings, dare we start to dream of what can be achieved?
Olly
Roar Rookie
I am confident that our best performing SR teams first pick 12 can handle Test level rugby.
terrykidd
Roar Pro
Waltn ??? Frgtten already??
soapit
Roar Guru
still disagree sorry. passing is up with hodge but hodge has him in kicking. besides hodge was only a stop gap 10 with a very specific (limited) game plan
savant
Roar Rookie
Stewart's passing and kicking skills are up there with any 10 going around (and better than Hodge who played 10 for the Wallabies last year). His running skills are ordinary I would agree. McKay likes a runner at 5/8 which is why he was passed over for Lucas and then O'Connor. And a 10 with a burst of acceleration offers a lot of playmaking around the ruck / set piece. Both Lolesio and Harrison have that spark. But if you want someone to light up your outside backs Stewart is a good option. He did it for 2 whole seasons at NRC and he did it in the few starts he got at SR. Which as you say makes him a good 12 too.
soapit
Roar Guru
i disagree. for me his skillset (running, passing kicking) wasnt up to 10 and they were right to move him. at the time i said 12 might be a better fit for him and i still have that opinion. but players can improve so who knows.
The Ferret
Roar Rookie
I like what you have to say here. And I think this is why he is a solid 12. Is a flashy 12 really what the Wallabies need? I can’t remember a flash 12 for the wallabies who has been long term successful. Tim Horan was a great all rounder but he had massive units like Little and Herbert outside him to do the dirty work. Personally I’d like to see Hamish get a shot in gold at 12.
The Ferret
Roar Rookie
I personally think JP “could” be an excellent 15. He is fast, dynamic and can read the game well. Only one problem... is he a good 15? He has not even played a SR game there. With Jock Doing great at the reds he is not going to get many opportunities.
hogie
Roar Rookie
At the moment he is way off the pace and not in the Wallabies 23 on form. Looking forward I just feel that his skillet and attributes lends itself to 15 where he offers a point of difference to current Australian full backs. By no way saying he should start here now for Wallabies or even Reds- needs to earn this right.
Rhys Bosley
Roar Pro
That intercept happened because Faamausili took too long with his pass to Hodge, which allowed Stewart right up into Hodge's face and Paisami to start his run at Toomua, right as Hodge passed.
hogie
Roar Rookie
We will have to see on Lucas, he wasn't given a huge amount of game time at the Reds pre COVID and pre his departure. He has looked good at 10 in Japan, however the standard of competition is well below what Harrison is currently playing in so difficult to compare. I was hoping that Carter Gordon would be given a go at 10 for the Rebels but he has yet to make a squad place yet. Outside of these two there are Pasitoa and Kuenzle at the Brumbies but both are currently behind Lolesio.
hogie
Roar Rookie
Exactly- Brumbies at SRAU level, I question the effectiveness of this type of player for the Wallabies. Again as said more than happy to be proven wrong.
savant
Roar Rookie
Stewart is the best 10 I have seen at NRC level. He steered QC to 2 grand finals winning one against a Canberra side full of Wallabies in Canberra and losing narrowly to the Drua in Fiji. He never got an extended run at 10 for the Reds getting only 5 starts in 2 seasons, winning 3 when they could hardly beat anyone. Mckay took an instant dislike to him at 10 and he hasn't played there for 2 years. He's very unfashionable, in the Lynagh mould, when all everyone wants now is an all singing all dancing individualist. He's a team player who moves the ball to the space. But thats so yesterday.
savant
Roar Rookie
Hodge does not have a good passing game. Witness his L to R pass that Paisami intercepted on Saturday night. The pass would have hit the ground before it got to To'omua had it gone that far. Also look at how little opportunity the outside backs at at the Rebels have had this season. He is not a test class 12 and is only an average SR 12. He should go to full back.
savant
Roar Rookie
Whats the distinction between a playmaker and a strong runner with reasonable passing and kicking skills? I would argue that that Michael Lynagh, one of out greatest playmakers, who played 12 in the 1984 slam (and played a significant role in the making of Mark Ella as a rugby deity) was not much of a runner. Our 91 and 99 RWC 12, Tim Horan was a playmaker who loved to run and step so is remembered as a runner but he often made the play. He played 10 for Downlands College, was a playmaker in schoolboy rugby league, and played 10 for Souths in Brisbane club football. He went to first receiver plenty of times, had a great grubber and skilled passing game and the fact that he was such a running threat fixed defences and left space for his outside men. Wingers like Moon and Campese scored buckets of tries playing outside Horan. He was a triple threat. And back then there really wasn't a specialist 12. Andrew Slack played 10 in club football and played 12 and 13 for Qld but is remembered as a 13 when he captained the 1984 slam side. It was Slack who called for Paisami to play 12 before Rennie moved him there last season. Backs in the 80s were expected to be versatile. I cant remember a Wallaby side that prospered against Tier 1 sides with a hard running limited distributing/playmaking 12. I think the greatest example of this failure was when Deans eschewed Giteau/Barnes for McCabe at the 2011 RWC. Particularly when the Wallabies had torn apart France and beaten the ABs in HK with playmakers at 12 the year before. It remains the greatest coaching failure I have witnessed in Wallaby colours, beating even Cheika's defiant ball in hand strategy against England that resulted in 6 straight defeats and leading to Eddie's accurate sledge that all he had to was rope a dope. I think the Wallabies have prospered when we have had 12s who have had experience at 10 and can think like a 10. Both Lynagh and Horan fit that bill. I think we are less potent when we have an outside back move in.
Olly
Roar Rookie
:laughing: Kinder shows how good of a result that was for the Reds
Doctordbx
Roar Rookie
This comment didn't age well :-)
Dave Hayes
Guest
Nobody mentions Tom Wright as a playmaker. I think that he would.be.a great 10/12 backup.
Olly
Roar Rookie
Completely agree and IMO I see Lolesio relying on Simone which is not a bad thing. JOC for example looks alot better with Stewart communicating to him at the Reds.
Olly
Roar Rookie
Yes DHP uncanny ability to beat the first line of defenders...perfect for 13 and should have been a 13. JP has the talent but has not cemented himself as the best at any position. Hunter out shined him at 13 last night for example.
Markus
Roar Rookie
People look at Simone and just assume he is Kerevi, overlooking that he is basically the best playmaker in Aus outside Toomua O’Connor and Lolesio. Even with the latter it is hard to say how much of that is down to the support outside from Simone.