Watching the early season Wallaby games, I have been heartened by the form Luke Burgess and the surprised by the under-use of scrummie back-up, Josh Valentine.
After getting a decent run coming on for the injured Burgess in the Baa-Baa’s game, Valentine has been largely ignored by Deans in a move that may suggest Deans has his eyes elsewhere in his search for a second scrum-half for the Tri-nations squad.
In the last two tests against Italy, Valentine has only played about 10 mins of the 160 available. Of these 10 odd minutes, it must be remember that Valentine was not used at all during the first test, even after the game was well and truly safe from about the 55 minute mark.
A similar situation occurred last weekend. While most of the 2nd XV received reasonable game time, Valentine did not, earning his first cap since 2006 only after replacing Burgess in what was almost an afterthought from the coaching staff.
This meagre lack of match time can only be seen as a vote of little or no-confidence in Valentine as you would expect a greater investment game-time wise for someone who was seen as a long term option. Valentine was probably not expected to make the Wallaby squad, and it was only after a finger injury to Sanchez Genia and the lack of reasonable options, that he got the call-up.
To add to Valentine’s woes, is the recent great form of Reds-academy half-back, Richard King, at the under 20 World Cup. Not only did Kingi have a bright under 20 tournament, he has also been a key figure in this year’s Australian Sevens team on the IRB’s Sevens circuit.
Although it has barely raised a mention in Australia, so good has Kingi’s form been in this year’s IRB tournaments, he was named as one of four nominees’ in the IRB’s World Junior Player of the Year.
There can be no doubt that Robbie will be getting a full report from under 20 Coach David Nucifora about several of the players involved in the Junior World Cup, but I would think the dossier on Kingi will be the one that holds the most interest for him.
Deans has shown he is not afraid to take a punt of youth and when you take into account Kingi’s couple of exciting performances from the bench this year for the Reds, as well as his under 20 World Cup and Seven’s experience – his claims for a spot in the Wallaby Tri-nations squad are not without foundation.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="3778 https://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/?p=3778">11 Comments
interesting that he may have eyes elsewhere. I wouldn’t have thought Kingi would be where they were looking though.
I would’ve thought Sheehan would still be high up in contention.
Holmes, playing in the centres, couldn’t possibly be.
Lucas doesn’t deserve to be.
Genia is injured.
Phibbs???? Perhaps I guess. Is he playing for the wicks at all?
So after Valentine and Sheehan, perhaps Kingi is an option??
Kingi did look sharp in what I could see of the U20s – I think you are spot-on JC, great analysis.
How long is Genia out injured?
Genia is reportedly out for the complete Tri-Nations Tournament – until September. I saw him the other day at a match and the hand was all splinted up.
Kingi looked OK in the U20 NZ v Australia semi-final: did some good things but his mistake rate seemed fairly high under pressure?
I think it has more to do with the fact that Burgess is still raw at this level and Deans wants to give him as much game time as possible. You can see how much he improves when given significant time on the field. I don’t think it’s any sleight towards Valentine, though to be honest I really don’t rate him that highly. He tends to go missing at crucial times and the ball is left sitting at the base of the ruck while scoring opportunities go begging.
Ditto i think that Deans believed that as Burgess was going to be his first-choice Tri-Nations option, it was important that he be given as much game time as possible so that we will have a better product for the real tests. Valentine has a great pass, the best of any Australian halfback. It is unfortunate that he lost that running threat from his game after his surgery.
In the modern game, with rush defences, you really do need a scrummie that presents a threat around the base. It creates a bit of doubt in their minds and so maybe just holds them off a little before trying to run down the five-eighth. Just how long is Genia expected to be out exactly?
Sanchez should be back around mid-September
I liked the look of Kingi when he was subbing on at the end of the red’s season. By most account’s he’ll pushing pretty hard to get a more permanent spot in the reds squad next year.
That puts the reds in an interesting position with halfback stocks Genia, Kingi and their kicker Lucas.
Didnt the Reds have another decent club half? Is it McKibbin?
Kingi’s decision making makes Quade Cooper look like the Dalai Lama. Deans obviously thinks he can work with Cooper and would be able to bring the same discipline to bear with Kingi.
Having said that, I dont think Kingi is close.
I thought valentine played well against the barbarians, so I still want him in the squad. Burgess has really taken his opportunity though, in every match. I guess wallaby management want a proper 9/10 relationship and they are giving it every opportunity to flourish. Genia at nine is a bit like tpn at hooker, so destructive in the field, but not so at the set piece. I hope he gets a run too, how long is he out for?
Deans doesn’t use his reserves much, all the starters get more time on the field that under previous coaches.