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Why Scotland rookie Cameron Redpath has been likened to Tim Horan
Cameron Redpath may have only won a single Scotland cap but the Bath centre is already being compared to Tim Horan, the double World Cup-winning Australian star. Like Redpath, Horan had to battle back from a serious knee injury in 1994 that sidelined him for a year, but he returned to continue a career that saw him win 80 caps for Australia and score 30 tries in an eleven-year Test career that included World Cup triumphs in 1991 and 1999.
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Now Stuart Hooper, the Bath director of rugby who played alongside Horan during his period at Saracens, believes that the 22-year-old Redpath, who is pressing for selection against England at Murrayfield on Saturday, has the same attributes that made the Australian one of the outstanding players of his generation.
Hooper said: “When I first started playing as an 18-year-old at Saracens, I played with Tim Horan, the great Australian centre, and Cameron reminds me of him. Tim achieved a huge amount in the international jersey and Cameron has that same anticipation which gives the impression that he always has time on the ball. He has the anticipation of someone who has played the game for 15 years at the top level.
“Cameron is a great player with a huge future and at the moment he needs to keep playing and I would love that to be for Bath. He has been out for eight or nine months and the edge you get from playing is not there yet, but he is working hard. He is good enough to play and I will chat with Gregor (Townsend) to see what is happening with him this week.”
While Redpath, who won his only Scotland cap in the 11-6 Six Nations win over England last year, started his career with Sale in the Gallagher Premiership, he was always on Bath’s radar with Hooper having taken a close interest in the young centre while he was helping make Sedbergh, the most successful schools rugby team in England.
“Cameron is a strong guy and I watched him through his schoolboy time and had been a fan of his for a long time. When we got the opportunity to bring him in we absolutely weren’t going to pass it up,” added Hooper, who watched Redpath help struggling Bath defeat reigning Premiership champions Harlequins last Friday night.
“On top of that, he is a huge competitor and has a great ability to bring energy to a session, a team and a match. His rugby brain has developed no doubt through his dad (ex-Scotland captain Bryan) and his days of playing and Cameron being around training.”
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Comments on RugbyPass
The value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
3 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
10 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
40 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
10 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
40 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
3 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
40 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
51 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
40 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
40 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
40 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
40 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
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