Whisper it quietly...Toomua should play at 10 for Tigers

Whisper it quietly, but Matt Toomua could be a longer-term option at 10 for Leicester Tigers.

With the end of the Six Nations just a matter of weeks away, some will dismiss the idea out of hand. The suggestion that the incumbent George Ford might not slot straight back in – he is England’s starting flyhalf after all – might be too much of a reach for some.

However, many are calling for Ford’s removal from his starting berth with England and for inside centre Owen Farrell to be moved back into the position where he plays his club rugby at for Saracens.

England coach Eddie Jones addressed the ‘Axis of Eddie’ this week, saying he’s not wedded to the pairing. “I am not wedded to anything. No one is indispensable.

“There’s an old story about this old coach who had a bucket of water in his office and he would say ‘come here son, put your hand in this bucket’. You put your hand in and take it out and he says ‘what’s happened?’ Your hand creates a hole and as soon as your hand comes out, the hole is filled in.

“No one is indispensable. No one is dispensable. Same as me, I am not indispensable. The players understand that.

“They have got to play and perform so who is at 10 and 12 will be done on who we feel is the best for that game.”

While Ford is being questioned for England, Toomua is being lauded in Leicester. Leicester have won their last three matches with Toomua at 10, including an impressive away victory against Saracens.

The 6ft, 91kg Wallaby put in another impressive performance for Tigers at the weekend in their win over Worcester at Sixways. The side which have struggled for form all season bubbled with brio and the Australian made David Flatman’s ‘Premiership XV’.

He and Telusa Veainu combined for Tigers third try in the bonus-point win with the Australian fly-half chipping for his flying fullback just metres from the Warriors line.

Toomua seems to be finally delivering for the Tigers after his first season with the club was marred by injury. In fact it lasted just two games, starting against Glasgow in the Champions Cup but then he suffered a knee injury in the win over Racing 92 a week later.

A precocious talent, the Brumbies recruited Toomua directly from school – only the second man to make such a move, the first being – according to the club’s website – former Tigers flanker Julian Salvi.

And flyhalf is a role is he very comfortable in. He was first choice at fly-half for the Canberra based side when they contested 2013 Super Rugby Final, a first for the club since 2004.

He also started the historic win against the British and Irish Lions that year and established himself as a Test player.

Potentially Toomua vying with George Ford for the 10 spot might be too much of a stretch for some Tigers fans, but you can’t argue with the way the team are playing right now with the Aussie at the helm.