'He's got the potential to play 100 tests': Wallabies great calls for Jordan Petaia to make shock positional switch
Jordan Petaia could be the answer as the Wallabies search for a fullback with Tim Horan urging the Queensland Reds to unleash him in the No.15 this Super Rugby AU season.
Injuries have robbed centre Petaia consistent game time for the Reds since his debut in 2018 but he’s still shown glimpses of magic in eight Test appearances for Australia.
Petaia shapes as a key weapon for Dave Rennie in the lead-up to the 2023 World Cup but two-time World Cup winner and former centre Horan thinks the 20-year-old might be most dangerous from the back.
Rennie turned to Tom Banks, Dayne Haylett-Petty and the versatile Reece Hodge during tests last year, while NSW fullback Jack Maddocks remains an option and emerging Reds talent Jock Campbell impressed when handed the keys by Brad Thorn.
Now playing in France, Kurtley Beale was also used at fullback under former coach Michael Cheika and is hopeful of featuring for the Wallabies in 2023, when he will be 34.
But nobody has taken ownership of the position since Israel Folau’s departure from rugby two years ago and Horan feels Petaia is worth the punt.
“I’d love to see Jordan Petaia play 15 [for the Reds] and they might use him there for a couple of matches I hope,” Horan said before Friday’s Super Rugby AU season openers on Friday.
“There’s two positions going into the World Cup where we don’t have a lot of depth; one’s 15 and the other one is 10.
“We need to look at Jordan; we have some good centres, plenty of wingers but not a lot of fullbacks going around.
“Haylett-Petty and Banks had a chance last year and nobody grabbed it.
“Put him at No.13 for a couple of games, let him settle in, but I’d love to see him have a crack at 15 to see what he’s like with a bit more space.”
It would mean shifting Campbell, despite the 25-year-old’s encouraging stint at fullback last season, but would allow Hamish Stewart and fellow Wallabies centre Hunter Paisami to grow a midfield partnership that blossomed in 2020.
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“I thought Jock was good but Jordan, he’s got the potential to play 100 tests if injury free,” Horan said.
“Playing at 15, yes he’d have to improve on his kicking game, but of the eight [Super Rugby] games he plays I’d like to see him in two or three at fullback.”
Horan also hopes Waratahs playmaker Will Harrison and Brumbies’ No.10 Noah Lolesio pile pressure on Reds five-eighth James O’Connor, who will be 33 when the World Cup rolls around.
“James maybe has one more season after this … this year and next year we need to make sure we can find [a long-term No.10],” Horan said.
“Will Harrison and Noah Lolesio really have to come on leaps and bounds this year to take us through to that next World Cup.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The 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?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 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!
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
3 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 comments