Almost 20 years on from Toutai Kefu, are Wallabies finally close to having their next world class No.8?

It is 19 years since Toutai Kefu last pulled on the Wallabies No.8 jersey and, in the opinion of veteran rugby reporter Jim Tucker, Australia has had some very good players take on the position without anyone of world class in the role.

But that could be about to change with the impressive rise of New South Wales Waratah Will Harris, and the bulking up of young Western Force backrower Tim Anstee to put pressure on Wallabies’ incumbent Rob Valetini.

“I really think one of the real desperate parts of Australian rugby since Toutai Kefu left the game – and we’re talking nearly 20 years ago – Australia has struggled to have a world class, influential No.8,” Tucker said on The Roar Rugby podcast.

“I’m not talking about a really good No.8 like David Lyons and players like that, they were terrific.

“But you need an influential No.8 who can change the course of the game. And that’s not David Pocock or George Smith playing No.8, it’s someone who is a legitimate No.8.”

Stream the episode below or follow (and rate) on the usual podcasting big guns like Google, Spotify and Apple and drop any questions for hosts Brett and Harry in the comments field below.

Tucker’s fellow The Roar expert Harry Jones had singled out Harris as a player who most impressed him in round 1 as the Waratahs comfortably dealt with Fijian Drua.

“Will Harris has a proper No.8 body,” said Jones. “More importantly he sees the game, which is very difficult to coach – you either see it or don’t. The lines he is running are resembling [England’s] Alex Dombrandt. In the same way he has the ability to gain another gear,  he’s still growing into his body.

Will Harris (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

“He looks a proper No.8. Now Australia has two No.8s and the rest of the world is looking for one.”

While Valetini impressed last year, Tucker also sees Anstee as a rising force capable of putting pressure on him.

“He’s added extra kgs to his frame and he’s explosive,” Tucker said. “Give him a pass and that next half step is explosive and he’s away . That’s a really good element for a No.8.”

The Roar Rugby podcast co-host Brett McKay said he had been watching Harris for a couple of years.

“He first came to this level as an 18 year old, and pretty much first year out of school he was playing first grade for Easts, NRC for NSW Country, spent a lot of that playing lock and getting used to playing but he’s grown into his body now and was always going to be a No.8,” said McKay.

While the No.8s caught our podcasters eyes, they also discussed the performances of the emerging breed of No.10s.

“I think it’s the start, definitely not the middle,” said Tucker of the No.10s revolution. “All these guys are in very formative stages. Carter Gordon had a lot of trumpeting about his arrival and he spilled the first pill behind his own goal line. Mentally that puts you on the back foot and he didn’t really bounce back from that for a while.

“You want a fly half who can shed that stuff and move on into the game.

“Reesjan Pasitoa was really encouraging. He didn’t take on too much but took on the line a little bit .

“And I thought Ben Donaldson was above both of those two players without having to do too much. The Waratahs game plan was keep it fairly narrow, not do dumb stuff out near the wing and have turn overs out there. He kept it narrow and that was a sign of him being intelligent in game management. You want to see intelligence flowing out of their brains in all situations.”

Tucker was less impressed with the input of Tahs centre Izaia Perese, a former Brisbane Broncos NRL player who had a breakout season in Super Rugby last season.

“Izzy Perese it’s not ‘rugbah league’ you don’t have to hit someone when you’re carrying the ball before you pass it,” Tucker said.

“You pass the ball before you make contact. I hate that – you’d die as a winger outside him because he just can’t feed his wingers as well as he should.

“Sure, bump through two blokes before making a pass that’s fine. If he want to be an international centre he’s got to learn to pass the ball before contact.”

In other highlights of episode 2, get Jim and Harry’s thoughts on nude rugby, why Tate McDermott would go to strip clubs for the food, not the girls, and how Queensland Rugby were caught out for skimping on outdoor chairs.

.