Douglas dumped for rookie
RORY Arnold admits he is wary of Australia’s next generation of second- rowers after coach Michael Cheika dumped Kane Douglas from his squad for Saturday’s Test against Argentina to make way for another young gun.
Lukhan Tui is in line for a potential debut at Canberra’s GIO Stadium with Douglas, his Queensland Reds teammate, sent back to the National Rugby Championship in search of game time.
Douglas was lured back to Australian rugby at great expense two years ago and started in the 2015 World Cup final for the Wallabies at a time when their lock stocks were suffering. But Cheika is build- ing plenty of depth after bringing through Arnold and Adam Coleman last year, while he also gave Izack Rodda his first cap in last month’s Bledisloe Cup defeat in Dunedin.
“I’m looking over my shoulder ( at) those young bucks coming through pushing me for selection,” Arnold said.
“Two or three years that second- row spot, didn’t have much depth Australia. Look at it now.”
Tui, 20, has recently recovered from knee surgery and was called up for the first time by Cheika in June but is yet to make his Wallabies debut.
Rodda, 21, made his first appearance for Australia in last month’s Bledisloe Cup defeat in Dunedin.
Both play with Douglas at the Reds and have overtaken him not only at Super Rugby level but now the Test pecking order as well. ago we in