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Wallaby wunderkind thrust into starting quarterfinal role
The Wallabies will hope Jordan Petaia’s choice of karaoke song isn’t an omen after the rookie teenager was thrust into a daunting role in the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals.
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Rookie teenager Petaia will play just his third Test and his first at outside centre when Australia face England on Saturday, ousting James O’Connor in one of the great tournament selection shocks.
Coach Michael Cheika confirmed he had rolled the dice on one of his country’s most promising attacking talents, who made his Test debut on the left wing just two weeks earlier at the same Oita Stadium venue against Uruguay.
The 19-year-old passed that assignment with flying colours, bagging a try and a sweet assist to celebrate becoming Australia’s youngest World Cup player.
However, the stakes are raised immeasurably in a knockout game against an England team featuring juggernaut midfield back Manu Tuilagi.
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The match will falls exactly a week after typhoon Hagibis’ arrival forced the Wallabies to hunker down at their hotel, where Petaia joined his team-mates for a karaoke session to pass time.
His choice of song? Eminem’s hit track “Lose Yourself”, something the two-time champions are banking won’t happen to the youngster in a pressure cooker environment.
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They have repeatedly said Petaia boasts maturity beyond his years.
Cheika has attracted criticism for experimenting through the pool stage but this switch has come without any sort of trial run.
A hamstring niggle meant the Queensland Reds star was unavailable to face Fiji and Wales in the first two pool games.
That injury came after having almost his entire Super Rugby season wiped out by a foot problem.
It is a giant setback for O’Connor, who impressed in Australia’s win over Fiji but appears to have paid for two ineffectual outings since.
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A re-shuffle in the backline could hold the key to the Wallabies tipping up England in Oita this weekend, writes @ArgyleSport #RWC2019 #ENGvAUS https://t.co/srTjiRqmWi
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 16, 2019
Cheika’s forward pack is predictable but he’s thrown two further backline curve balls by starting halfback Will Genia and fullback Kurtley Beale.
Nic White has been the favoured No.9 in 2019 but Genia’s experience won him the nod, with his 110th Test cap to come inside restored five-eighth Christian Lealiifano.
That pair began one Test together this year, against Argentina in Brisbane in July, but it’s another five years back for their previous gig as the starting Australian halves.
Beale passed his concussion protocols after suffering a head knock against Georgia last week but was still regarded as an outside chance to start.
His return, along with Reece Hodge’s restoration on the right wing after serving a three-game ban, means there is no room for Dane Haylett-Petty, who has been one of the leading Wallabies performers in Japan.
Also dropped from the bench is veteran prop Sekope Kepu, with Taniela Tupou promoted.
Michael Hooper is captain in his 99th Test.
Australia: Kurtley Beale, Reece Hodge, Jordan Petaia, Samu Kerevi, Marika Koroibete, Christian Lealiifano, Will Genia, Isi Naisarani, Michael Hooper, David Pocock, Rory Arnold, Izack Rodda, Allan Alaalatoa, Tolu Latu, Scott Sio. Reserves: Jordan Uelese, James Slipper, Taniela Tupou, Adam Coleman, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Nic White, Matt To’omua, James O’Connor.
– AAP
England may have had the week off, but that doesn’t mean they weren’t working hard:
Comments on RugbyPass
Not sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
24 Go to commentsI 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…
5 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.
24 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.
24 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 comments