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Carter Gordon has been the most exciting flyhalf talent among the Australian teams so far this season and rightly finds himself in Eddie Jones’ international squad with the World Cup roaring into view.
At just 22, Gordon has slowly emerged as a genuine talent. He had extended playing time in 2021, 2022, and once again this year where he has played every minute of every game for the Rebels. In this article we will look at his game and what he will offer to Australia.
Gordon has been described, very frequently, as a playmaker. All flyhalves are playmakers. Even the incredibly steady flyhalves who gently plot their way past defences with numerous kicks and short passes to forwards. Gordon is different though. Arguably his best skill is his ability to attack the line and then pick the right pass to unlock the defence.
This is a great example of the attacking threat that Gordon poses. Simply, he attacks the line, forces the defence to show him where the holes are, and then picks the right pass to unlock that defence. But it only works if Gordon is a carrying threat himself.
Against the Crusaders, Gordon was happy to carry again and again and again if the defence didn’t open up as he wanted it to. This is the risk when taking the ball to the line. Too often, flyhalves will take the ball to the line with no intention of carrying themselves. If the passing doesn’t open up, they give the pass anyway leading to a passive collision and either a turnover or very slow ball.
You can see how effective that is in this example of two back-to-back phases. On the first phase, Gordon carries and distributes quite late to the Reds’ defensive line. It’s the languid, almost lazy style, we see sometimes from Marcus Smith.
I was speaking to a Welsh professional player about this during the week. We were speaking about how amateur players could get better. One key was to play less like professional players.
As a professional, if you are going to play close to the line you have to really play close to the line. If you give the defence time to reset, even just a second, they will take it and your line break will turn into a passive tackle. At the amateur level, the requirement isn’t the same. You don’t have to distribute right on the gain line. In fact, if you do, you will probably end up with a bag full of handling errors.
You can see how Gordon navigates those issues in these two phases. First phase, the defence are well set, they’re unlikely to open up even if he takes the ball right to the line before distributing. This is a crucial element. A less smart player would take the ball to the line regardless. You see this sometimes when Finn Russell is off form. That desire to take the ball to the line trumps everything else and it leads to interceptions and knock-ons. Gordon knows that the cost benefit analysis is against him. So he distributes early, accepting he won’t get the line break but living to fight on to the next phase.
The very next phase, Gordon is on his feet because he didn’t take contact on the previous phase. He spots the smallest of gaps and accelerates through it, keeping his hands free for the offload. It’s really great flyhalf play and it’s something we’ve seen Gordon do all season.
Playing flyhalf is doing accountancy with the threat of getting smashed. You are constantly assessing what the best option is; steering clear of unnecessary risk without losing your dynamism completely. That calm approach bodes well for Gordon’s Test chances.
Gordon is an anomaly in Super Rugby. Only three flyhalves, who have played at least 300 minutes, have tackle success rates higher than 70%; Hamish Stewart (who has mostly played at inside centre), Ben Donaldson (who has featured at fullback), and Gordon.
Gordon is the only flyhalf in the league to attempt more than 100 tackles. Given how frequently Gordon is described as a playmaker, it is surprising to see just how solid his defence is.
Against the Chiefs earlier in the season, Gordon was targeted on first phase off five different set-pieces. He made every tackle. That is highly impressive given how many modern flyhalves are either hidden when defending set-pieces or have tackle success rates below 60%.
The goal for Eddie Jones and Australia is knowing how best to use Gordon defensively. Bernard Foley used to be hidden at the lineout for Australia. He was put into the five metre channel rather than left isolated in the midfield. During Jones’ final games with England, Marcus Smith was put in the midfield but flanked by a forward who had been dropped from the lineout. Gordon is a better defender than either of them, but it’s a massive ask to expect him to run the attack and contribute in a key defensive role.
There is a word of warning in all this, one that Jones will be all too familiar with. Fans want coaches to pick on form. The guys destroying the league should be given the chance to do the same thing in the international game.
It makes sense. However, recent rugby history is littered with players who have been picked on form only to be, at best, underwhelming during their early international appearances. The international game is undeniably a different beast to the club game. International teams have fewer weak links, they are better prepared, and usually work harder than the club teams.
That small percentage difference can be a huge step for a young player. That’s not to say that international teams shouldn’t give younger players a go, but they need to expect performances below what they give at club level. With just a handful of matches before the World Cup, Jones and his staff will have to decide if they can navigate the teething pains or if Gordon is a prospect for further down the road. Personally, I hope they choose the former.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.