Rugby league legend Andrew Johns joins Wallabies training after Pumas call on NRL star Nathan Cleary
On the same day that Los Pumas called in current NRL star Nathan Cleary for some pointers around their kicking game, the Wallabies camp have lured in one of rugby league’s all-time greats.
It’s been revealed that Andrew Johns, one of rugby league’s 13 Immortals, has spent some time helping the Australian coaching staff in Sydney after Wallabies halfback Nic White shared a photo of he and the two-time NRL champion on Instagram.
In what was supposed to be a low-key affair, White’s post to his 21,600 followers lifted the lid that Johns had joined the camp, with the Wallabies confirming the ex-Newcastle Knights star was invited to join the squad by assistant coach Scott Wisemantel.
The connection between Wisemantel, who played first-grade rugby league for the Parramatta Eels between 1988 and 1992, and Johns comes through their involvement with England head coach Eddie Jones.
Wisemantel was a member of England’s backroom staff as an attack coach under Jones throughout 2018 and 2019, while the English boss has also forged strong links with Johns himself.
As Wallabies head coach in 2004, Jones attempted to lure Johns into a cross-code move rugby union, before working with the former New South Wales and Kangaroos representative during England’s three-test tour of Australia four years ago.
Johns helped out at English training sessions as the tourists went on to secure a 3-0 series win over the previous year’s World Cup finalists.
It seems that connection between Wisemantel, Jones and Johns has led to the latter, the eighth player rugby league history to be inducted as an Immortal of the sport in 2012, to link up with the Wallabies ahead of their final test of the year next week.
Depending on the result of Saturday night’s clash between the All Blacks and Los Pumas in Newcastle, the Wallabies could still be in the running for the tightly-contest Tri-Nations title when they host the Argentines at Bankwest Stadium in eight days’ time.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Johns was called upon to help Wisemantel run numerous backline drills on Thursday, the same day ex-Wallabies head coach Michael Cheika recruited current NRL star Nathan Cleary into the Pumas camp.
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Currently enjoying the NRL off-season following a grand final loss with the Penrith Panthers and a State of Origin series defeat with New South Wales, Cleary was brought into the Argentine squad by Cheika to help the young Pumas with their kicking.
Cheika is currently an assistant coach for Los Pumas after having recently held a coaching advisor role at the NRL’s Sydney Roosters, and is set to become head coach of Lebanon at next year’s Rugby League World Cup in the United Kingdom.
Pumas head coach Mario Ledesma, who became a rugby league fan while serving as an assistant coach to Cheika during their time at the Wallabies, was appreciative of Cleary’s involvement in the Argentine set-up.
Soaking up the NRL off-season, Penrith Panthers and New South Wales playmaker Nathan Cleary was at Pumas training at Leichhardt Oval on Thursday.https://t.co/EsiM8gszbI
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) November 27, 2020
“His kicking coach [ex-Waikato fullback/Canterbury Bulldogs and New Zealand Kiwis wing Daryl Halligan] is in New Zealand and he couldn’t come so he offered Nathan to come and give some pointers to the boys,” Ledesma said.
“I thought it was really nice of him to come and give us a hand.
“Being a big rugby league fan I was happy to have him.”
Comments on RugbyPass
I wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
1 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
4 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
23 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to commentsPot Kettle, the English and French teams have done it for years.
23 Go to commentsHas virtually played every minute of previous games. Back row of Li Lo Willie , Grace and Blackadder would be the 1. Crusaders issue is a very average 1st 5 who cannot run. Kicking in general play is also below par They need to put Yong Kemara in. He must have so.e talent for them to bring him down from Waikato. Hoehepa would struggle to play in so.e club sided
11 Go to commentsI hope this a good thing making all these changes!
3 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes are good, especially with a decent coach now. However, let’s be real, the Crusaders and Chiefs are clearly a good degree weaker without the players they’ve lost overseas now. The Canes lost one player. It’s also why the aussie teams ‘seem’ to be stronger.
9 Go to commentsOr you could develop your own players instead of constantly taking from the SH competition and weakening it in the process? With all the player and financial resources these unions have compared to SH countries you’d think they could manage that, or is weakening the SH comps and their national sides an added bonus? Probably.
3 Go to commentsNot so fast Aaron, we might need you in black yet lol. God knows he’d be a lot less nerve-racking than hot and (very) cold players like Perofeta. It’s really a shame Reuben Love isn’t playing 10, we’ve got enough 15 options.
4 Go to commentsAnd those from the NH still seem to be puzzled (and delighted) why NZ’s depth isn’t what it once was. Over 600 NZ players overseas, that’s insane. This sort of deal is why Super Rugby coaches have admitted they struggle now to find enough quality to fill out their squads.
6 Go to commentsArticle intéressant ! La question devrait régulièrement se poser pour les jeunes français originaires de Nouvelle-Calédonie, Wallis-et-Futuna et de Polynésie entre la Nouvelle-Zélande et la Métropole… Difficile pour la fédération française de rugby de se positionner : soit le choix est fait de dénicher les jeunes talents et de les faire venir très tôt en Métropole, au risque de les déraciner, soit on prend le risque de se les faire “piller” par les All Blacks qui, telle une araignée, essaye de récupérer tous les talents des îles du Pacifique… À la France de se défendre en développant l’aura du XV de France et des clubs français dans ses collectivités d’Outre-mer !
3 Go to commentsWrong bay. He needs to come to the REAL BAY which is Bay Of Plenty and have a crack at making the Chiefs.
3 Go to commentsIs Barrett going play full back??? They already have all the centers…
16 Go to commentsForgive my ignorance, I might not fully understand so would appreciate clarification: Didn’t the Bulls have to fly with three different carriers, paid for by the South African Rugby Union, whilst Edinburgh got a chartered flight sponsored by EPCR? Also, as far as I understand it South African teams don’t yet share in the revenue from the competition and are not allowed to host Semi-finals or Finals at home. Surely if everyone wants South Africans to “take the competition seriously” then they must make South Africans feel welcome, allow them to share in the revenue, and give them the same levels of access as the teams from the other countries. Just a reminder that South Africa has a large and passionate Rugby audience. Just by virtue of our teams being a part of these competitions means that more of us are likely to watch the knockout games, even if our teams haven’t qualified. It would be silly to alienate such a large audience by making them feel unwelcome.
23 Go to comments