Coach Michael Cheika has backed 22-year-old newcomer Ben Volavola to unleash an exciting Waratahs backline against the Crusaders on Thursday.
The uncapped Southern Districts fly-half will line up against Dan Carter in the Waratahs' first home match of the new season and the final trial before the Super Rugby season begins.
The game shaping up to be a brutal trans-Tasman encounter pitting twelve Wallabies against ten All Blacks but the head coach says he had no doubts about starting the youngster.
"You don't get experience if you don't play," said Cheika.
"I am more than happy with him playing. It's very exciting for Ben to go up against Dan Carter. He is a very natural, instinctive player and although he's only very young and a few months into the program as a professional player, the way he has responded has been surprisingly good.
"It will be up to the rest of the team to make sure he challenges one of the best players in the world and take him on. It won't be up to Ben, he'll just play naturally."
Volavola will have plenty of experience around him to rely on. The job of neutralising potent centre Robbie Fruean will fall to Adam Ashley-Cooper, who will wear the 13 jersey, whilst fellow Wallaby Lachie Turner and speedster Tom Kingston, who notched up a hat-trick last weekend, will play on the wings. In his third rugby union match, Israel Folau faces his toughest challenge yet as he lines up against All Blacks full-back, Israel Dagg.
Up front, the NSW squad features six internationals, lead by debutant captain Dave Dennis. Behind the all-Wallaby front-row of Robinson, Polota-Nau and Kepu, recent signing Mitchell Chapman will make his first appearance for NSW as he packs down alongside Sita Timani.
At breakaway, Cheika will try out another new name, as Sydney University flanker David Hickey gets his chance to impress. One of a dozen promising NSW youngsters invited to train with the team through the off-season, the 21-year-old completes a back-row that also features Dennis and Wycliff Palu.
"If we can go forward up front, then we'll earn the right to go a bit wider and attack and hopefully put them under pressure," said Cheika, before warning that he wasn't expecting a perfect performance so early in the season.
"It's early days, we're not going to get carried away. It's more about the team realizing that this is the way we play, this is the team we are, and this is how we do it every day.
"It won't just come in a few practice matches, it will take time for that to blend in when we're under pressure, when we have adversity, to make sure we are true to the way we want to play."
Waratahs: 15 Israel Folau, 14 Lachie Turner, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 12 Tom Carter, 11 Tom Kingston, 10 Ben Volavola, 9 Grayson Hart, 8 Wycliff Palu, 7 David Hickey, 6 Dave Dennis (capt) 5 Mitchell Chapman, 4 Sitaleki Timani, 3 Sekope Kepu, 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1 Benn Robinson.
Replacements (from): Luke Holmes, John Ulugia, Paddy Ryan, Jeremy Tilse, Brendan McKibbin, James Hilgendorf, Cam Crawford, Michael Hodge, Drew Mitchell, Michael Hooper, Jed Holloway, Lopeti Timani, Kane Douglas, Greg Peterson.
Date: Thursday, February 14
Kick-off: 19:30 local
Venue: Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Comments
trappa says...
Ten wallabies in the horratahs.. and we wonder why the Wallabies are so aweful
Posted 08:26 13th February 2013