Michael Hooper sees shades of Rugby World Cup winner in current Wallaby

Wallabies great Michael Hooper believes Isaac Henry is maybe a bit like 1999 Rugby World Cup winner Nathan Grey, with the versatile centre impressing despite last weekend’s 43-21 defeat to the All Blacks in Sydney.

Henry has overcome a series of long-term injuries on the journey to Test rugby, earning higher honours after a career-best Super Rugby Pacific campaign with the Queensland Reds. The 27-year-old debuted against Japan in Osaka, which was Les Kiss’ first game in charge.

With Hunter Paisami and Len Ikitau both unavailable, Kiss decided to field a new-look midfield against the All Blacks at Accor Stadium. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii had played the previous two Tests on the wing but returned to the familiar role of outside centre for the afternoon match.

Henry lined up opposite centres Timoci Tavatavanawai, Quinn Tupaea and Rieko Ioane during an 80-minute shift, finishing with the equal second-most carries of any Wallaby with 14 and making nine tackles from 12 attempts.

“For a guy that’s played a couple of different positions now in the centres, I think he’s looking really sharp,” Hooper said on Stan Sport’s Between Two Posts.

“He’s strong. He carried very well on the weekend. He’s got a nice ball out the back, runs a good line as we saw in a couple Test matches beforehand.

“I’m liking how he’s developing. Maybe a bit Nathan Grey-ish, potentially. Looks hard and gets stuck in. It was a good performance.”

Another Wallaby who turned heads despite the scoreline was fly-half Declan Meredith, who had only worn the golden No. 10 jersey three times before Saturday. Meredith debuted for the national team against France during the July Nations Championship Tests.

The 27-year-old also suited up against Italy and Japan in the First XV, before featuring off the pine in the Bledisloe Cup series opener. But with Ben Donaldson picking up an upper leg injury ahead of the second Test, Meredith was presented with another opportunity to start.

Meredith took the All Blacks’ defensive line on early, even putting a chip-and-chase ahead for himself to chase inside five minutes. The playmaker was equal with Henry for total carries, and came close to scoring a try during the second half.

“Four minutes into the game, I think the time was, he puts that little chip over the top. With a different bounce or a set of different chases, he creates,” Hooper said.

“I like that confidence that he took into that game. He didn’t wait for the game to come, he took on the game earlier and I appreciate that.”