World Cup Wallaby Carter Gordon gets rugby reality check in 'sloppy' run out

A pre-season spanking from the NSW Waratahs has delivered Carter Gordon a reality check as the World Cup Wallaby braces for a selection battle ahead of his Super Rugby Pacific return.

The 25-year-old wore the No.10 in his Ballymore homecoming on Saturday, but the Queensland Reds were blown away 49-19.

His first half cameo followed 45 minutes of game time against the Western Force a week ago.

Gordon threw the last pass for a Jock Campbell try and narrowly missed his winger with a long cross-field kick in striving to set up another.

But there was constant spilled ball and loose play that the Waratahs exploited in a procession that drew the ire of Reds coach Les Kiss, who will take over as Wallabies boss later this year.

Gordon shifted to the Melbourne Rebels from the Reds in 2021 as an uncapped rookie, before his controversial selection at the 2023 World Cup.

He then shocked with an NRL switch to Gold Coast, eventually ending that injury-plagued stint when he signed a three-year deal with the Reds late last year before earning a ninth Wallabies cap against Italy.

“It just feels like normal now. I wouldn’t say it’s a massive shock to the system,” Gordon told AAP.

“I’m just coming back and adding to what I’d built, before I went to league.

“Sloppy today, but I have built over these two games and it’s better (to be sloppy now) than in the first round.

“We weren’t executing and we saw heaps of drop ball and all that. We’ll take a look at this game pretty seriously.”

Kiss was unimpressed with his side’s performance but said Gordon’s time was a plus.

“He created some moments there … a bit rusty but to get those minutes in today, in those (hot) conditions,” the coach said.

“Training only does so much. A bit over 80 minutes of footy – it’s been good in terms of where he wants to go.

“A couple of good things in his kicking game, but he won’t be fully happy.”

Kiss said Tom Lynagh, who started at No.10 in all three British and Irish Lions Tests last year, was “very close” to being fit to play after a lay-off with concussion and hamstring injuries.

A fit Lynagh, who owned the Reds’ No.10 jersey last season, would leave Kiss with a huge call to make on his starting flyhalf.

“Over the next 10 days we’ll find out,” he said of Lynagh’s availability for round one, against NSW on February 13.

“There will be some decisions in a number of places, not only No.10.

“Before Christmas he did a lot of good work and then had an incident that jarred him and put him back a week or two. But he’s committed to the work and it’s as good as I’ve seen him.

“As soon as we know he’s right to go we’ll do it.”

The writing was on the wall when Force recruit Harry Potter anticipated Dre Pakeho’s long-cut pass to race 65 metres and score the first try, before the NSW winger’s flick pass put No.8 Leafi Talataina over for the first of his two.

Sid Harvey also impressed on the left wing while Joey Walton’s grubber to fellow centre George Poolman created another crisp five-pointer.

“The boys have worked hard for three months and delivered … and our fitness looked good,” Waratahs coach Dan McKellar said.

“You’ve got to have that balance; play the width, challenge on the edges and go through the middle. But we won’t get too far ahead of ourselves.”

The Waratahs will play the Brumbies in Canberra on Thursday in their final hit-out before hosting the Reds in round one.