The national coaches of the three Southern Hemisphere superpowers will be looking on eagerly this weekend in the hope of unearthing some new talent as the Super 14 rugby season kicks off in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa in the countdown to the Tri-Nations tournament and September's 2007 Rugby World Cup in France.
The Waratahs (Sydney, Australia), perennial underperformers of Super Rugby, have been given the toughest task of the competition for their opening rounds of the 2007 Super 14: three away matches in South Africa, starting with the reformed Lions outfit at parochial Ellis Park in Johannesburg, South Africa on Friday night.
With the High Veldt traditionally proving a graveyard for many visiting sides, the 'Tahs will be forced to blood some uncapped newcomers in the rarefied atmosphere of the Johannesburg cauldron, with seven rookies included in the tour squad. And with the Johannesburg franchise now reborn after The Cats debacle of previous seasons, the clash might also prove something of an eye opener for the Wallabies and Springboks selectors.
'Tahs Coach Ewan McKenzie dealing with player losses that include rugby-league convert utility back and Australia star Mat Rogers - who has quit rugby and returned to the 13-man game after signing with Australian National Rugby League newcomers Gold Coast Titans - expects a tough hit-out at altitude, where on paper the Lions will have the double advantage.
As part of his new squad McKenzie has decided to take schoolboy sensation Kurtley Beale, who a bit over six months ago was running around in the First XV for St Joseph's College in the Sydney GPS competition. He is joined by another promising schoolboy newcomer, speedster Lachlan Turner who captained the Newington College 1st XV in the same competition the previous season. Both can expect the level of football to go up a few gears in intensity from what they're used to, even though both have already shown their credentials in international junior representative rugby.
Beale gave a clue to his potential at top-level when he was slotted in at five-eighth in the second half of last week's Rotomahana Challenge trial game against the champion Crusaders (Canterbury, New Zealand) at the Sydney Football Stadium. Beale sliced through the Crusaders' thin red line, splitting the defence like a can opener before off-loading to Josh Holmes for the match-winning try.
Brett Sheehan and Josh Valentine will share the half-back duties in the Republic and while they will be up to the task, McKenzie will certainly miss the services of his veteran half Chris Whitaker, who is now playing in Ireland for Leinster.
Meanwhile star fullback Peter Hewat, who finished as second-highest points scorer in last season's Super 14 on 191 just behind Crusaders centre Dan Carter, is also likely to be fit after recovering from an ankle injury suffered in a trial game the previous week. Hewat, a kicker with a radar-like boot and the the unchallenged master of the intercept try in Super Rugby, will also be hoping to impress Australia coach John Connolly in the lead-up to both the Tri-Nations and the World Cup after being ignored by the Wallabies selectors since making his debut in the old Super 12 in 2004. If Hewat's to get the nod for the national side, this is his chance with incumbent Wallabies fullback Chris Latham (The Reds, Brisbane, Australia) ruled out of the Super 14 season with a knee injury.
Article comments