Wallabies legend starts ‘campaign’ for retired Test prop and names ‘a little bolter’ he would love to see called up by Australia
James Slipper and, inset, Joe Brial were names mentioned for the Wallabies by Matt Burke
Legendary Wallabies kicker Matt Burke has launched a campaign for prop James Slipper to come out of international retirement ahead the upcoming three-match start to the new Nations Championship.
He has also named a back-row bolter that he can see being involved with the squad set to be passed on from Joe Schmidt to Les Kiss once the July matches versus Ireland, France and Italy have been played.
It was last October when the 36-year-old Slipper stepped away from the Test rugby scene after winning 151st cap when playing for the Wallabies versus the All Blacks in Perth.
He has continued to play at club level since, lining out for the Brumbies and setting an all-time Super Rugby caps record with them, and such has been his form that ex-World Cup winning full-back Burke wants Schmidt to ask the loosehead might he fancy coming out of Test retirement.
“You can manage James Slipper…”
“I’m starting a campaign,” he enthused on Stan Sport’s Rugby Heaven when tasked with selecting the Wallabies pack he would like to see picked by Schmidt ahead of the July 4 opener versus Ireland in Sydney. He has been outstanding this year. His early Super Rugby form, and he broke all the milestones and won some cracking games down there in Canberra. It’s amazing how you just need a little bit of level, and I reckon he could do it.
“Maybe not start 30 minutes at the end of the game. I’m talking Angus (Bell) can start… but I have got to pump him [Slipper] up. So, let’s go Slipper to go 60 minutes, Angus to come on as the super sub at the end. I just like the way he has played, plus I am looking for big bodies in my team.
“We have seen Joe Schmidt talking to him before games sometimes and I reckon there could be a ‘What do you reckon mate, what are you feeling? I’ll manage you’. As an old guy when I played over in Newcastle, you just manage when you are an old bloke, so you can manage James Slipper.”
Burke was joined in the pack picking exercise by Cameron Shepherd, another retired ex-Wallabies back. His loosehead preference was for Aiden Ross, the ex-All Black who was capped last year by Australia.
“Front-row for me was quite a difficult one, maybe it was because I played full-back and I have absolutely no idea what the front-row does,” he quipped. “I just have liked what Aiden Ross has done in the last 12 months. Investing in a guy that has got experience but still relatively young. Debuted for the Wallabies last year and did well.
“And then the combination, (Billy) Pollard maybe not playing his best rugby in Super Rugby Pacific this year but I thought he was brilliant last year for the Wallabies, so I gave him the nod. And then Zane Nonggorr, I’ve made no secret I am a big fan of his. I still think there is room the squad for the likes of Allan Alaalatoa and of course James Slipper, if he wanted to continue playing, but it’s time to bring a little younger blood in in the front row and give these guys a go.”
Aside from Slipper, Burke had Pollard, Alaalatoa, Nick Frost and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto in his front five in contrast to Shepherd naming Ross, Pollard, Nonggorr, Jeremy Williams and Frost. However, they were both in agreement that Schmidt’s back-row should consist of Rob Valetini, Fraser McReight and Harry Wilson.
Can anyone else break into that trio? “Charlie Cale has been going great,” reckoned Burke. “He is injured at the moment, and he is going to be coming back soon. He’s been great, his form and he has shown really good athleticism, old school like a Pierre Spies, quite tall, quite rangy and can hang on width at the same time…
Want more from Planet Rugby? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for world-class coverage you can trust.
“And chuck in Joe Brial. I reckon he is a little bolter as well, especially when he is under the tutelage of Les Kiss in that back three (at the Reds) that is having a really good combination. Great try on the weekend with Harry out the back and then Brial scored the try. They are options there. The bigger question is who is going to occupy options number 16 to 21 and then do you do go to a six/two split or a five/three.”
Shepherd replied: “But also you have got someone like Jeremy Williams who is playing six quite a bit for the Force and playing very well. It gives him a little bit more freedom, and then you wonder what you do in the second-row.
“Lukhan Salakaia-Loto offers a different game to someone like Nick Frost, so how important is your set-piece. But if you have got that option at six, then maybe you don’t need him. It’s going to be very interesting to see how the balance is found, and the bench will be a major part in it.”
READ MORE: Joe Schmidt makes bold revelation on Les Kiss’ involvement in Wallabies selection process