Australian Rugby’s 10-year search for a Wallaby flyhalf – a systemic failure to identify and develop an international 10
With news of Bernard Foley’s re-commitment to Rugby Australia, Wallabies fans can breathe a short sigh of relief. He will, however, re-assess his position following next year’s showpiece tournament, which does nothing to solve the looming problem of a post-World Cup Wallaby exodus.
The lack of depth in the halves, and in particular at 10, is a serious issue. Just who will eventually replace Foley?
The pipeline of Australia’s future, the national under-20 side, reveals an alarming amount of players that have failed to kick on since 2011. Since that year, only one flyhalf picked at the under-20 level has gone on to wear the Wallabies number 10-jersey, Reece Hodge, for one test against Japan.
2008 was the last and most fruitful crop for the Wallabies – Kurtley Beale and Quade Cooper were selected in the age grade side while James O’Connor and Matt Toomua were also picked but unable to get age dispensation.
Toomua then played the 2009 and 2010 Junior World Cup campaigns, while James O’Connor became the second youngest Wallaby ever in 2008. Toomua is the last Wallaby flyhalf to come through the junior representative side outside of Hodge’s anomaly. Bernard Foley came through the Sevens programme in 2009 and wasn’t an under-20 rep at all.
Of Toomua’s 24 test starts just six have been in the 10-jersey, so it is a stretch to say he is a true flyhalf, with inside centre being his calling at the professional level.
This astonishing run of ‘misses’ could be due to a myriad of reasons but undeniably highlights a systemic failure of Australian Rugby to produce a player, in possibly the most important position on the pitch, with the necessary skills to succeed at the highest level.
After a decade of failing to identify and develop a Wallaby flyhalf, it might just be time for everyone in Australian Rugby from the top-down to re-evaluate the position, re-value what skills are required and change the thinking. Whatever they think works, quite simply doesn’t.
The conservative, stifling nature that has crept into Australian coaching is failing to produce a game-changing 10, with an over-riding preference for ‘safety’ and textbook shovellers at the expense of finding a way for players with natural attacking instincts to flourish. If Damian McKenzie grew up in Australia, in all likelihood he would not be picked.
Either the right talent has not been identified in the first place or the development of the players has been hamstrung by the system. A balanced mix of both scenarios is a high probability.
The list of those who have donned the 10 jersey for Australia at under-20 level in the last 10 years is comprehensive – Quade Cooper (2008), Kurtley Beale (2008/9), Matt Toomua (2009/10), Jono Lance (2010), Ben Volavola (2011), James Ambrosini (2011), Kyle Godwin (2012), UJ Seuteni (2012), Jack Debreczeni (2013), Reece Hodge (2013), Jake McIntyre (2013/14), David Horwitz (2014), Andrew Deegan (2015), James Dalgleish (2015), Mack Mason (2016), Nick Jooste (2016), Jordan Jackson-Hope (2016), Hamish Stewart (2017) and Jack McGregor (2017).
After 2010, the conversion rate even to Super Rugby has been frightening.
Volavola played just 19 Super Rugby games for Australian franchises before choosing to represent Fiji and becoming ineligible.
Kyle Godwin has played the most Super Rugby with 76 caps, but most as a midfielder and is now in Ireland with Connacht.
Reece Hodge has 42 caps for the Rebels, but mainly as a utility back. He is also seen as a makeshift 10 who can provide cover rather than as a genuine flyhalf.
Only Volavola (19 caps), Godwin (76 caps), Debreczeni (52 caps), Hodge (42 caps), McIntyre (24 caps), Horwitz (27 caps), Mason (2 caps), Jackson-Hope (7 caps), and Stewart (18 caps) have Super Rugby experience.
Debreczeni, the most experienced genuine flyhalf prospect, is now playing for Northland in the Mitre 10 Cup, with no further contract with his former Melbourne-based side. With over 50 Super caps, that investment has been seemingly futile for Australian Rugby but he continues to impress on the Mitre 10 circuit, showing glimpses of what he could become.
A list of under-20 halfbacks is similar – Eddie Bredenhann, Matt Lucas, Nick Frisby, Jock Merriman, Ben Meehan, Waldo Wessels, Joe Powell, Angus Pulver, Scott Gale, James Tuttle and Harry Nucifora.
It is astounding then, that the frontrunner to succeed Will Genia as the next Wallabies halfback has emerged as Jake Gordon, a player with no rugby education in Australia’s rep pathway.
Gordon’s development has solely been in the Shute Shield, with roughly three years of club rugby before a breakout NRC season saw him force his way into the Waratahs. Without the advantage of receiving professional coaching for most of his development years, he already looks to be the second-best halfback in the country.
This long-term systemic failure has left Australian Rugby with an impending cliff ahead when the generation of players from the late noughties retires or move overseas for good. At the moment there are no other established flyhalf options with proven ability at Super Rugby level.
Hamish Stewart has been touted as the future but has been playing for the Reds too soon, the Brumbies have preferred Kiwi Wharenui Hawera in Christian Lealiifano’s absence and the Rebels on-and-then-off again relationship with Jack Debreczini continues, but looks to now be off with Quade moving south. The Waratahs have been grooming Mason for Foley’s departure.
After a decade of ill-thought out planning, investment, and development of flyhalves the odds of Stewart and Mason carrying the torch and reaching where they need to doesn’t seem likely. The Wallabies 2019 Rugby World Cup hopes look slim, and when you look past that it only looks worse, with testing times sure to be ahead.
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
2 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
2 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
2 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
37 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
2 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
1 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
5 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
33 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
5 Go to comments