So, Izzy as good? Kid catches Cheika eye

WHEN Wallabies coach Michael Cheika last week rattled off a list of wing prospects he was watching, all the usual suspects got a mention until he reached the name “Izzy”.

He wasn’t name-checking the formidable figure in the gold No.15 jersey but littleknown kid “Izzy” Perese, who is excelling in the National Rugby Championship.

His Queensland Country team may not have won a game – yet Perese, 19, is catching everyone’s attention with his quicksilver footwork and go-for-it running style at 90kg.

His numbers were at Izzy Folau levels last Sunday in his first 80-minute outing in a year because of knee troubles.

He racked up 211 running metres, made four linebreaks and broke 15 tackles for a losing side from his makeshift position of outside centre in Perth.

“There is a lot of pent-up energy and excitement coming through in Izzy’s displays,” Country backs coach Jason Gilmore said.

“Izzy has great feet but he has also impressed with the ‘no fear’ streak to his running lines into the teeth of the forwards and the ground he makes in contact.”

The Brisbane-born flyer of Samoan heritage played a starring role alongside Cowboys rugby league young gun Kalyn Ponga in the champion Churchie schoolboy side of 2014.

Veteran former All Blacks lock Brad Thorn will make his NRC debut at 41 with a cameo off the bench for Country against the Western Sydney Rams in Sydney today.

At Ballymore tomorrow from 3pm, two-time champions Brisbane City must upset the third-placed Sydney Rays to keep alive their semifinal hopes.

Backrower Adam Korczyk will make his comeback from the bench after a knee reconstruction grounded him from any action with the Reds during the Super Rugby season.

Queensland Under-20s halfback Moses Sorovi is back in the starting side with regular Nick Frisby flying out for South Africa today with the Wallabies.