Dave Rennie admits Wallabies' first-choice fullback still a mystery
Tom Wright will become the fourth player to wear the Wallabies No 15 jersey on their 2022 end-of-year tour when he runs out against Wales on Saturday.
In the past four matches, Tom Banks, Andrew Kellaway and Jock Campbell have all been given opportunities at fullback. The former two have now departed Europe nursing foot injuries while Campbell has been named on the bench for what will be Australia’s final Test of the season.
With Kellaway unavailable after last weekend’s narrow loss to Ireland, Wright has shifted to fullback from the left wing, Mark Nawaqanitawase has swapped the No 14 jersey for No 11 and Jordan Petaia will round out the trio on the right.
“We definitely discussed playing Jock (at fullback),” said head coach Dave Rennie. “We just felt that if we played Jock and Mark and Jordy, there’s not a lot of voice there and that’s going to be really important.
“We could have [kept Wright on] the wing and then left one of the other guys out, but they were both excellent last week and we wanted to give them a chance to start together.
“Jock’s very much in the mix. It’s the modern game. He’ll make a contribution, but it’ll be off the bench.”
Petaia has also been given one run at fullback this year, starting at No 15 against England in July. Reece Hodge, who will feature in the midfield on Saturday, rounds out the six players who have taken on the fullback role this season.
While Rennie believes there are ample candidates to take on the responsibilities, he admitted that it remains somewhat of a mystery who would be asked to don 15 in a first-choice Wallabies line-up.
“No,” he responded when asked if he knew his preferred fullback.
“I think what we’ve found out this year – because we’ve used a lot of 15s – is we’ve got some genuine strong options here now. We’ve played Andrew Kellaway there, we’ve played Tom Banks and Tom Wright. Jordy was down to play there at one stage. We’ve used Hodgie back there, we’ve used Jock Campbell. So I think we’ve genuinely developed some really strong options back there.
“But as to who’s got the nod from a World Cup point of view, it’s pretty tight.”
With just half a dozen Tests remaining between now and the Wallabies’ first game of the 2023 tournament, time is running out for Rennie to make a decision.
Complicating matters is the fact that many of the fullback options aren’t always used in the role for the Super Rugby Pacific sides.
Kellaway played zero games at fullback for the Rebels this year, with Hodge preferred in that role, and was instead given runs at centre and on the wing. Wright was used almost exclusively on the wing for the Brumbies this year while Petaia shifted between fullback, wing and centre for the Reds.
Although Rennie and Wallabies management will work with the Super Rugby sides ahead of next year’s Test calendar, the final say ultimately resides with the Super coaches.
“We’ll certainly talk to the clubs around the players,” said Rennie. “When we get back, we’ll go around and we’ll sit down and go through their IDPs (individual development plans) and give a bit of feedback around where they’re at and what we think their focus needs to be and the clubs will have maybe a point of difference here; they may feel that another area’s important for them for how they want to play, so we’ll include that as well.
“As far as selection goes, we may have a chat that ideally we’d like so and so to get some time in a certain position but ultimately, they’ll do what’s best for their group and we’ve got to accept that.”
Saturday’s fixture between Wales and Australia will kick off at 3:15pm GMT from the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.
Comments on RugbyPass
Big 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!
3 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 …
30 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
1 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.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
30 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to comments