WALLABIES INVEST IN UELESE FOR FUTURE

THE brave gamble to throw untried hooking hulk Jordan Uelese into a Wallabies debut against South Africa tomorrow night is aimed at a bigger pay-off at the Rugby World Cup in two years.

Uelese is just 20 and with the meagre experience of 28 minutes of Super Rugby yet coach Michael Cheika yesterday commissioned him to play off the bench against the might of the Springboks pack at Perth’s nib Stadium.

It’s a call as bold as throwing unscarred Phil Kearns into a debut against the All Blacks in Auckland in 1989 when rival Sean Fitzpatrick sneered at him as a baby thrown to black-jerseyed wolves.

In 12 months, Kearns was famously giving the “forks’’ to Fitzpatrick in a wonderful Wallabies victory in Wellington and Cheika will hope the 120kg Uelese grabs this chance with equal relish.

Uelese will at least have protection as a bench player but the flow of Test rugby these days is that he can expect 10-15 minutes as a replacement in the second half should experienced starter Tatafu Polota-Nau help guide the Wallabies to a lead.

“When I was in the 11s, you had to be under 60kg to play under-12s, so I had to go and play under-13s,” Uelese told Foxsports.com.au this season.

“I’ve always played up a grade and had to mix it with the big boys, which is good.”