Wing and a prayer
REECE Hodge’s major asset for this afternoon’s experimental plunge as Wallabies five- eighth in Yokohama is that he has always thought of himself as a No. 10 playing other positions rather than a winger being dumped into a scary hot seat.
Shifting talented players and skillsets into different positions always works on paper but the actual human trials nearly always show up flaws. Unless you pull a masterstroke like reassigning a skinny fullback named Steve Larkham to five- eighth in 1998 and he wins you a World Cup 17 months later.
This is a calculated punt against Japan by coach Michael Cheika because he knows Kurtley Beale will be taking the ball as first receiver plenty of times anyway and can shuffle into the spot even more if things turn pear- shaped.
Hodge, 23, was ushered so quickly to the Test ranks as a winger- centre last year that his DNA as a kid was largely missed by fans unaware he played five- eighth for his junior club Manly Roos, Manly Colts and the Australian Under- 20s against Ardie Savea’s Kiwis in France in 2013.
“I always played at five- eighth growing up so it’s not something I’m a stranger to or uncomfortable with,” Hodge said.
“It hasn’t been a constant position for me ( since 2015) but I’ve definitely been there or thereabouts ( at training or fill- in minutes at the Melbourne Rebels).”
Hodge’s former Manly Damien Cummins believes has rolled the dice wisely.
“Because Hodgey is such a luxury with his utility value, you are only now going to see him at No. 10 in the coach Cheika position he ultimately wants to play,” Cummins said.
“I reckon it’s a great call if you are looking for a Bernard Foley back- up because he shores up that channel defensively, the position is not foreign to him and there’s time for him to get better with two years to the World Cup.”
Cheika knows this is only the start of backing his hunch: “I’m not expecting him to run out there and be a genius, just get his job done.”
The Japanese pose a substantial threat with No. 8 Amanaki Mafi and 2015 World Cup heroes Michael Leitch, Fumiaki Tanaka and Shota Horie.