MATES ARE IN LEAGUE OF OWN
EIGHT years after dominating rugby league together with Brisbane, Queensland and Australia, Karmichael Hunt plans to do the same for the Wallabies alongside Israel Folau.
The former league teammates were standouts for Australia in their 37-14 win over Fiji on Saturday and should get another chance to start together against Scotland this weekend in Sydney.
Wallabies coach Michael Cheika said he was likely to make changes to the team to play the Scots but not “wholesale” ones, and he indicated Hunt could expect more action at No.12.
“I thought he was pretty good, first game. He did his job very well,” Cheika said.
Unsurprisingly for a man who has played three codes at the highest level, Hunt on debut looked as assured as a 20-cap regular.
The other triple-coder in gold, Folau, had a stellar match and although the duo didn’t link often, they hope to do a lot more together.
“Our history is pretty well documented together, some of the best times we’ve had together has been playing together,’ Hunt said.
“That was at the Broncos, and since then we’ve played opposite each other.
“But to be on the same field was fantastic, and to see him perform the way he did, I couldn’t be happier.”
Cheika said he would make his team changes after watching the game tape, including whether Stephen Moore might start at hooker ahead of Tatafu Polota-Nau.
There was confusion about whether Moore or Michael Hooper would captain the team when the former came off the bench in the second half against Fiji but Cheika said he’d left the issue to the two players.
“Michael stayed in charge when Stephen went out there, because he had the flow with the referee,” Cheika said.