ORIGIN LATEST IN SPORT
UNDER- FIRE Queensland coach Kevin Walters admits it is a defensive risk to throw Darius Boyd into the centres in Wednesday night’s State of Origin II.
Test fullback Boyd was expected to move to the left wing, where he had played 24 of his 27 Origins after veteran Billy Slater reclaimed his Maroons No. 1 jersey for game two.
However, Walters raised eyebrows by moving Boyd to left centre and a clash with NSW’s Test centre Josh Dugan.
Boyd has never played the position in Origin and last featured as a centre for NRL club Brisbane back in 2009.
“Defensively will be the big challenge for him, trying to contain Dugan on that right side,” Walters told Triple M radio. “It’s a bit of a risk as such. “But not from my eyes. We have full confidence in Darius’s ability.”
Walters admitted it would have been “easy” to move Boyd to left wing and Dane Gagai into the centres as Queensland made seven changes after the debacle that was Game One.
But Walters confirmed Boyd was the one who suggested he would be best suited in the centres in a newlook Maroons backline.
“I just think it is a great challenge for Darius,” Walters said. “I had a good chat with Darius before the team was named.
“I put it to him where he thought he could best help Queensland and his answer to me was in the centres.”
Fellow Queensland selector Darren Lockyer said Boyd’s move to the centres was a lively talking point before the Game Two team announcement.
“That’s been another contentious debate but he’s ( second) leading try- scorer in State of Origin history,” Lockyer told Nine Network’s The Sunday Footy Show.
“Most of those tries have come playing left wing. There’s no Greg Inglis so with Dane Gagai’s performance on the wing ( in Game One), Darius is very capable in the centre and is a very good defender.
“He is a pro and he doesn’t make a lot of errors. He’s quite good at positioning his outside men so we think he’ll work there.” Walters has rolled the dice in a bid to force the series into a Game Three decider at Suncorp Stadium. He appeared pressured after reports Wayne Bennett was ready to take over the Maroons reins next year if Queensland lost the 2017 Origin series.
The QRL has since backed Walters – in his second year at the helm – to see out his contract until the end of 2018.