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Reece Hodge is now the Wallabies best option at flyhalf
One of the biggest challenges that has remained consistent for Dave Rennie throughout his first five games as head coach has surrounded the balance of the backline, led by somewhat inexperienced or unproven first-fives.
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The three players that he’s selected to orchestrate the Wallabies attack have all had big questions asked of them, despite the strengths each player can bring to the field.
But even though all players promised so much throughout Super Rugby AU, the Wallabies have won just 20% of their matches this year. Their most recent test was against Los Pumas in Newcastle, where they surrendered a nine-point lead to draw 15-all.
Australia appeared to be in control from the get-go, playing with a majority of possession and they dominated the territory battle as well. But still, they couldn’t quite execute when they needed to, and Nicolas Sanchez made the Wallabies pay with another reliable kicking display.
With 63% of possession, the Wallabies only had a few try scoring opportunities in the first-half; opportunities that we largely created by the Reds midfield partnership of Hunter Paisami and Jordan Petaia.
So, while not all fans have been doing this, some have begun criticising the selection of Reece Hodge at 10, and question whether alternative options would benefit the Wallabies.
Wallabies. Should have scored 3 or 4 times in first half. Again, too much panic 2nd half was just weird. Had most of the ball, kept kicking it away. Being at the game, the crowd was not happy. Close to booing them off. Pumas were nowhere. Reece Hodge, good, but not a 10, sorry.
— Will Figueira (@willfigueira1) November 21, 2020
It’s not that 10s play was bogus, but J O’C is a more creative playmaker than Reece Hodge
Pumas were off the mark, but Wallabies still couldn’t capitalize
— Chris Mwenda (@MwendaChris) November 21, 2020
He dragged Wright, who was having a great game, for Daugunu who gave away a crucial penalty. And the Wallabies missed real guidance at 10. Hodge was good but not enough at 10. Seems some of the blame lies with him, not just the 15 on the field.
— JohnnyMac (@BrumbyinTahland) November 21, 2020
Hodge is not a flyhalf. Maybe 2nd 5/8 or fullback but not No.10. ATM O’Connor is our best 10 but it won’t be long before the kid from the Brumbies takes over.
— laughing conservative (@laughingconser1) November 21, 2020
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The other options both mentioned in those Tweets, and the other two players that we’ve seen start at flyhalf this year, have been James O’Connor and Noah Lolesio.
Both players really impressed in Super Rugby AU, with O’Connor up there for the best player in the competition, while Lolesio stole the show in the Final in Canberra.
But having three quality talents in the same position is a good headache for Rennie to have – it’s just a matter of who belongs where at the moment.
By looking at each player and what they’ve brought to the test arena this year, it’s become pretty clear that there’s one player above the others who has played himself into being the first-choice.
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Reece Hodge
Let’s start with the incumbent.
Hodge has been heavily criticised largely because he missed a pivotal kick with three minutes to play against the Pumas, which would’ve likely have given his side the win.
Hodge had otherwise converted all five of his penalties up until that point. After the match, the 26-eyar-old said that he felt like “I’ve let my country down.” This comes just a month after he had a chance to win Bledisloe I in Wellington with a long-range penalty, but that also missed.
Brutal.
But overall, the Wallabies’ Mr Fix It has performed admirably at flyhalf.
In Bledisloe IV, he was arguably the runner up for player of the match, right behind winger Marika Koroibete.
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Finn Morton rates the Wallabies.#AUSvARG #TriNations https://t.co/IMfNWBRybV— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 21, 2020
In that match, he finished with 14-points and also made 16 tackles, which was the second-most of any player on the day. Hodge also had a try assist, setting up debutant Tom Wright with a try with a perfectly weighted kick chip in-behind the All Blacks defensive line.
Then against Argentina on Saturday, he performed strongly, carrying the ball 11 times. He was maybe outshone by the exciting centre paring in Paisami and Petaia, which had his best game yet, but he was up there for player of the match once again.
Even though the Wallabies struggled in the second half in Newcastle, that was down to a variety of factors, not just Hodge. Their lineout was struggling, their discipline was off; fix those and he has more of a chance to prove his worth.
But the biggest tick next to his name has to be how he’s steered the Wallabies towards success. Not only did he lead his team to a big win over the All Blacks, but he did his job arguably better than most against the Pumas as well. Without him, Australia lose both of those matches.
He’s only had two opportunities this year starting but he’s not foreign to the position either, and has both played and performed there for the Wallabies in the past.
Considering he wasn’t really in the conversation to be starting before the test season started, he’s done an exceptional job in a very young team. Once missed kick shouldn’t take away from all the good that he’s done – he’s done the jersey proud.
James O’Connor
Without a doubt, O’Connor is Hodge’s biggest rival for the starting job.
The 30-year-old was a class above for the Reds in Super Rugby AU, and with the support of Matt To’omua in the first one and a half Bledisloe’s, he shined for the Wallabies.
But that’s the thing: once To’omua went off in Auckland, O’Connor fell apart. He couldn’t control the game to the same level that he had in the past.
In defence, O’Connor also has a tackle percentage of 78.5% in his two games this year, while Hodge has missed just one tackle from 20 attempts in his two games at flyhalf.
Goal kicking has also improved drastically with Hodge on the park, seeing that O’Connor converted just three from seven attempts – but it is worth noting that the match in Wellington was played in tough conditions.
The All Blacks have held their place at the top of the Tri Nations table after the Wallabies and Los Pumas played out a dire 15-all draw in Newcastle. #ARGvAUS #TriNations https://t.co/oDTXddSG6l
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 21, 2020
In his favour though is the breakout centre pairing of Paisami and Petaia, two players he’s played alongside at the Reds. If those two can continue to click both at test level and for the Reds, then playing Super Rugby alongside those two could bode well for O’Connor.
Combinations are everything.
Those two could very well be the next Ma’a Nonu and Conrad Smith, just for the Wallabies – having someone familiar inside them can only mean good things.
But overall, O’Connor hasn’t proven himself as the first-choice pivot for the Wallabies on his own form. While he probably deserves another chance, and considering that both he or Hodge could play elsewhere, it could be possible to fit them both in the same starting side.
But for me, Hodge has simply been better than O’Connor. Even if O’Connor is fit in two weeks time, he shouldn’t come right back in.
Noah Lolesio
Lolesio was thrown into test match rugby far too soon. The up-and-comer had only played three Super Rugby AU games before he was selected in Rennie’s 44-man Wallabies squad.
Many hoped that he’d impress on his starting debut in Sydney, but I think it’s fair to say that most were sceptical considering his experience. While he scored a try, but considering his side loss by a record 38-point margin, the rest of the night wasn’t too flash.
While he impressed in his cameo off the bench in Brisbane, Lolesio just isn’t what the Wallabies need right now. He’s very much a pick for the future.
Seeing that he’s been an unused sub on two occasions only just goes to show that he’s not an option for the Wallabies in tight games yet.
Fans have taken to social media to express their amazement at the athleticism shown by Wallabies midfielder Jordan Petaia in the act of failing to score what would have been a contender for try of the season. #ARGvAUS #TriNations https://t.co/zWWSSQvTY0
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 21, 2020
Continue to blood him by all means off the bench, watch him improve as a result, but the Wallabies can’t rely on a 20-year-old to win big games.
If we’re talking about the short-term, then it has to be either Hodge or O’Connor who starts tests.
The verdict
Hodge.
It’s simple.
Even if O’Connor is back from injury in time for the final test of the year, Hodge has earned the right to continue to do what’s been working – excluding the second half against the Pumas.
I’m already a big fan of the Paisami-Petaia midfield combination so I wouldn’t change that by moving O’Connor to 12. Instead, Hodge should start until proven otherwise, with O’Connor coming off the bench.
Comments on RugbyPass
Wow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
1 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
12 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
1 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
1 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
16 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
16 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to commentsMake what step up? Manie has a World Cup winner’s medal around his neck and changed the way the Springboks can play. He doesn’t have anything to prove to anyone. The win record of the Boks with him in the team is tremendous. Sacha can be wonderful and I hope he has a very succesful Bok career, but comparing him to Manie in terms of the next Bok flyhalf is very strange. Manie is the incumbent (not the next) and doing pretty incredibly.
4 Go to comments00 😍 U
1 Go to commentsSabbaticals have helped keep NZ’s very best talent in the country on long term deals - this fact has been left out of this article. Much like the articles calling to allow overseas players to be selected, yet can only name one player currently not signed to NZR who would be selected for the ABs. And in the entire history of NZ players leaving to play overseas, literally only 4 or 5 have left in their prime as current ABs. (Piatau, Evans, Hayman, Mo’unga,?) Yes Carter got an injury while playing in France 16 years ago, but he also got a tournament ending injury at the 2011 World Cup while taking mid-week practice kicks at goal. Maybe Jordie gets a season-ending injury while playing in Ireland, maybe he gets one next week against the Brumbies. NZR have many shortcomings, but keeping the very best players in the country and/or available for ABs selection is not one of them. Likewise for workload management - players missing 2 games out of 14 is hardly a big deal in the grand scheme of things. Again let’s use some facts - did it stop the Crusaders winning SR so many times consecutively when during any given week they would be missing 2 of their best players? The whole idea of the sabbatical is to reward your best players who are willing to sign very long term deals with some time to do whatever they want. They are not handed out willy-nilly, and at nowhere near the levels that would somehow devalue Super Rugby. In this particular example JB is locked in with NZR for what will probably (hopefully) be the best years of his career, hard to imagine him not sticking around for a couple more after for a Lions tour and one more world cup. He has the potential to become the most capped AB of all time. A much better outcome than him leaving NZ for a minimum of 3 years at the age of 27, unlikely to ever play for the ABs again, which would be the likely alternative.
3 Go to commentsJake White talks more sense than anything I've read in the last 5 years. Hope someone's listening.
16 Go to comments