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'I wasn't expecting it': Wallabies rookie opens up on shock inclusion in Dave Rennie's squad

By AAP
(Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)

Josh Kemeny was the Waratahs’ loss and the Rebels’ gain and that could extend to the Wallabies after the flanker’s shock selection in next month’s training camp.

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The 22-year-old was a bolter in Sunday’s 40-man squad after making an impressive start to Melbourne’s Super Rugby AU season.

Kemeny said he was “over the moon” to be selected in the squad for a three-day camp on the Gold Coast next month.

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“It’s always something that’s in the back of everyone’s mind but I wasn’t expecting it and I was thrilled,” Kemeny told AAP.

“I called my family straight away … rugby has been a big part of my life and obviously their lives as well and just to be included in something like a training squad, they were thrilled as well.”

The captain of his Sydney school team and member of the 2018 Australian under 20s side, Kemeny was right under the noses of the Waratahs when he was playing for Sydney Uni in the Shute Shield in 2019.

Melbourne coach Dave Wessels went to a match in Sydney to watch NSW hooker Tom Horton but said his head was turned by No 6  Kemeny, who made his Super Rugby AU debut last season.

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The winless Waratahs, whose dismal recruitment and retention of players has contributed to their freefall, made a late play for Kemeny but he was already headed south.

“I was happy to get any opportunity anywhere and when this one came up I was really happy to jump on it,” he said.

He felt his progress had been fast-tracked by Melbourne’s season on the road last year, when he was living and breathing rugby.

“It was essentially being on tour for a number of months and it really meant that you had to buy in and adopt the team culture and it allowed me to see how senior players go about their business,” Kemeny said.

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The blindside flanker is 193cm and 110kg and is quick for his size, topping the Rebels forwards in fitness drills.

Wessels said Kemeny, who was one of seven Rebels included in the squad, was always looking to improve.

“Josh is one of a number of exciting young players that we have and he works incredibly hard on his game,” Wessels told AAP.

“He was one of the stand-out players in terms of his effort in the pre-season and I’m really pleased to see that being rewarded with some recognition in the Wallabies mix.”

Melbourne will host the unbeaten Reds on Saturday night at AAMI Park.

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Bull Shark 1 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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