Hunt in battle to face All Blacks
Wallabies coach Michael Cheika says Karmichael Hunt will have to prove himself once again to earn a spot in Australia’s 23-man squad to take on the All Blacks in Bledisloe III.
Hunt has been called back into an extended 37-man Wallabies squad, which features three new development players, for the game in Brisbane next Saturday.
Hunt has been recovering from an ankle injury that kept him out of Australia’s entire six-game Rugby Championship campaign, but is now back on the park for Brisbane City – he’s set to play his second game since his return today – and eyeing off a maiden start against New Zealand in his home town.
Cheika has also recalled Hunt’s Reds team-mate Adam Korczyk, who was the only player left out of Australia’s touring party for the recent tests in South Africa and Argentina.
Hunt started at No 12 for the Wallabies in the three June tests against Fiji, Scotland and Italy and was one of the standout performers, not just in the eyes of pundits, but in the opinion of the man who matters the most, Cheika.
Since June, the Wallabies have welcomed back Kurtley Beale and he has been a revelation since his stint with UK Premiership side Wasps, notching up three man-ofthe-match performances during a hot streak in the Rugby Championship.
His return has raised questions as to whether Hunt can win back a starting spot, perhaps somewhere else in the Wallabies backline.
Asked whether he expected Hunt to slot straight back into the matchday 23, Cheika said the 30-year-old would have to work for his position.
‘‘I wouldn’t expect it,’’ Cheika said. ‘‘We’ll see how he’ll go at training and how he plays this weekend. In the last camp in June he pretty much forced his way into the team in the first week of training.
‘‘I wouldn’t have had him pencilled in. He could well do that again this week, but he’s got a bit more competition now as we build the squad over the Rugby Championship.’’
Hunt excelled at second fiveeighth in June, but Beale now has a mortgage on the No 12 jersey. A bench spot might have to suffice for Hunt, given fullback Israel Folau is in the form of his life and centre Tevita Kuridrani is reaffirming himself as a reliable figure in the midfield.
‘‘I think he can go 12 or fullback,’’ Cheika said of Hunt. ‘‘He plays fullback in his state team and 12. He can mix between the two more than comfortably. He can play a running playmaker role as well and he’s a very solid defender. He’s got all the attributes in both of those positions.’’
Aside from Hunt and Korczyk, Cheika has brought in Queensland Reds centre Duncan Paia’aua, ACT Brumbies rookie hooker Folau Faingaa and Western Force prop Jermaine Ainsley as development players.
On last year’s spring tour, Andrew Kellaway, Jack Dempsey, Taniela Tupou and Izaia Perese were brought along as development players and it is looking like Cheika will do the same again.
The trio won’t play against the All Blacks at Suncorp Stadium, but might get a chance to impress against Alan Jones’ Barbarians team on October 28 in Sydney.
‘‘Jermaine is a player we’ve had our eye on for a while,’’ Cheika said. ‘‘He had an injury and now he’s got back playing. We’re looking to get another dedicated tighthead [prop] into the squad.
‘‘With Stephen [Moore] retiring at the end of the year, we’re looking at a couple of other younger hookers. Folau Faingaa is a guy we would love to have a closer look at from what he’s done in NRC. He’s gone down to the Vikings and done quite well. Whether we decide to take an extra [hooker] on the tour as we did last year for development, we’ll see in the next few weeks.’’
The likes of David Pocock, Dane Haylett-Petty, James Slipper, Ben McCalman and Sefa Naivalu are not in the squad because of injury or absence, but are in Cheika’s sights to be there at the 2019 Rugby World Cup.