Ex-Wallaby names rising star Waratahs must ‘build’ for the future

Former Wallabies centre Morgan Turinui has stressed the importance of Teddy Wilson playing more minutes for the NSW Waratahs, after the scrum-half produced an impressive performance in a season-defining win over the Fijian Drua.

Waratahs coach Dan McKellar sprung a selection surprise by naming Wilson in the run-on side for just the second time this season. With only three weeks left in the round robin, Wilson was selected alongside Jack Bowen in the halves for the first time since round 16 last season.

The former Australia U20 skipper earned a rare start against the Chiefs in Hamilton earlier this season, but has otherwise been a reliable option off the pine, with Wallabies incumbent Jake Gordon holding down the number nine jersey.

But with McKellar making a series of changes for a must-win round 14 showdown with the Drua in Suva, Wilson was presented with a golden opportunity to impress. Wilson did just that, as the Stan Sport Between Two Posts panel highlighted this week.

Wilson scored a try, finished sixth overall for metres carried with 45, kicked the ball well when called upon and completed with 100 per cent tackle accuracy. That effort has led Turinui to call for Wilson to play more minutes in the short-term.

“He’d be the best support player backing up, unstructured player nine we’ve got in Australia I would’ve thought, especially with Tate [McDermott] on the way back,” Turinui said on the Stan Sport show.

“His best game is what he continues to build, which is why he needed an opportunity to start. Got to see more of Teddy Wilson on the field.

“Of course, the incumbent Wallabies number nine is Jake Gordon. Of course he needs the bulk of games but this is the time now, if you’re the Waratahs, that you’ve just got to build Tedy Wilson so for the post-Jake Gordon era, he’s ready to go.

“What you don’t want is another 18 months where Teddy Wilson suddenly becomes a starting player and you’ve got to be patient. This is where they’ve got to be smart about it, and this was a great selection.”

New South Wales are just outside the playoff picture with two rounds left, sitting just behind arch-rivals the Queensland Reds. The Waratahs are seventh with 26 competition points, while the Reds have 28 after falling to the Western Force on Saturday.

The Waratahs produced their best performance of the season to date against the Drua, starting with a Harry Potter try in the fourth minute. Ioane Moananu and Max Jorgensen added to the Tahs’ lead during a 19-point blitz during the opening quarter.

Super Rugby Pacific breakout rookie Sid Harvey was next to strike for the visitors, before Wilson and Angus Scott-Young made their mark deeper in the half. While the Drua were better during the second term, the Waratahs did enough to hold on.

“It’s interesting, McKellar said the other day, their good is good and their bad is back. In between, it’s just a big gap,” Wallabies great Matt Burke added.

“They’ve got to find that ability… to find that ability to be a good team and grind it out and get the win, and we see some of those Kiwi teams do it, that’s what these guys have to do.”