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Why Brumbies star needs to be in Eddie Jones' RWC plans
With this year’s Rugby World Cup just around the corner, Brumbies halfback Ryan Lonergan may have given Wallabies coach Eddie Jones something to think about.
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Lonergan is in career best form at the moment, and it all started with a player of the match performance against the Waratahs in Round One.
The halfback stole the show at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium as he steered his side to a 31-25 win on the back of a 16-point haul, and also a try assist.
Lonergan’s purple patch continued throughout the opening four rounds of the season – and he could be set for higher honours if his form continues.
Having been on the cusp of Wallabies selection before – having captained Australia A last year – this might be the year the 24-year-old dons the famous gold jersey.
Former Wallaby Stephen Hoiles called Lonergan the “best bench halfback in the country” as he explained why the Brumbies star should go to this year’s World Cup.
“What he’s doing now, he’s actually showing he’s becoming the best bench halfback in the country and that’s an important role, especially moving forward into Test season,” Hoiles said on Between Two Posts.
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“It works perfectly. It is one of the harder positions to play 80 minutes. You start to watch a game and you start to watch every good No. 9 around the 60 minute mark and watch them start to slow up.
“The Brums all said it post-game – the whole bench was fantastic, but he looked like he was the guy that led the charge for the bench.”
“You need people that are experienced in that role.
“In a World Cup the issue with players coming off the bench is a lot of them are chasing more minutes and they’re talking to the coach each week because naturally, players have egos.
“The want more time in the middle, they all think about this, but to get a World Cup-winning side… I always pose this question: are you willing to be sitting, in the World Cup final, as a squad member in your suit to watch your team win the World Cup?
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“That’s the sign of a true team man. He’s a guy that will go there, and if he knows his role, he’s not going to try and make an immediate impact, or give away a penalty or be offside because he’s trying to make an impact straight away.
“He’s seasoned in his performance off the bench.”
Lonergan will captain the Brumbies in their trans-Tasman blockbuster against the champion Crusaders on Friday night.
The halfback will partner Noah Lolesio in the halves.
Comments on RugbyPass
What a pathetic little twit Andy Goode is, as if we care what he thinks…..😂
103 Go to commentsFoxy has been a wonderful player for the Scarlets and Wales.
1 Go to commentsNika the Georgian is the best referee in the world at the moment. Luckily we will be spared the shite SH refs and Barnes will hopefully remain retired given how shite and embarrassing he was at the RWC.
2 Go to commentsThis is the most exciting game of the summer imo, as we really won’t know in advance how both teams are going to play. - Will Robertson just reproduce his Crusaders tactics from last year, or will there be a conscious effort to borrow from the Hurricanes and Blues, and from the aspects of the ABs world cup strategy that worked well? - England under Borthwick have put in some good performances playing attacking rugby, and some good performances playing kick-oriented defensive rugby. Will Borthwick try to merge them together into a single all-court game, or will he continue switching between different approaches depending on the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition?
1 Go to commentsI’m predicting an aggregate points difference of no more than +/-10pts across both matches this series.
1 Go to commentsI’m predicting an aggregate points difference of no more than +/-10pts across both matches this series.
9 Go to commentsFinals are always tense affairs for the players so I do not expect this to be a spectacle of running rugby unfortunately.
2 Go to commentsBulls***': Ex-England international calls out Eben Etzebeth… Not to his face but from very far away… after he’d left. Checked to make sure he wasn’t in the building.
103 Go to commentsHopefully this will mean a new Auckland league team to support in the west. Big Warriors fan but it’s very, very stale on that front and I’d like the option of another team if it was to watch league again. League needs to step up BIG time if its to get anywhere, another AK team and something from the capitol or south is a must for the game.
3 Go to commentsGood, deep interview, nice job Frankie!
1 Go to commentsNRL players don’t have anywhere near the number of Tests. Some people would be happy having Rest Homes full if 40 yo ex-players walking, or hobbling more like it, into walls. It’s just a game!
4 Go to commentsNOW Razor is worried about ABs getting injured or overplayed! Didn’t bother him last year. He happily played his AB Crusaders.
4 Go to commentsWhat is the World Rugby U20 players born year.
2 Go to commentsMuch like the Chiefs finally gave up waiting for Atu Moli to ever not be injured, you have to wonder if the Chiefs and Crusaders will let Josh Lord and Ethan Blackadder go next season. They’re being well paid to sit in the injury ward every year. Better off putting those funds towards someone who might actually play.
7 Go to commentsShowed better basic skills than some nz Super sides, who probably would have botched some of those backline moves. This tournament really is too short though. Needs more teams, or have them play two rounds to properly prepare them for the near full-time NH U20 sides.
4 Go to commentsGood grief it’s only six months. Probably just upset it’s not an established kiwi entering their prime they can “project” into green to join the rest.
3 Go to commentsGood player but far from being best in the world. That's an exaggeration. Perhaps Best in world by Northern Hemisphere standards and biasis but certainly not Southern Hemi standards
3 Go to commentsWell one thing about World Cup knock out rounds and Ireland is very clear: they won’t be getting ahead of themselves in ‘27! Because making it beyond the QF is well and truly ‘IN THEIR HEADS’ now…😉
103 Go to commentsHas this guy been dope tested? Sounds like a case of “roid rage”.
1 Go to commentsI would like to see him say that to Eben face to face in a dark alley.
103 Go to comments