McLean feeling awkward no more
McLean feeling awkward no more
David Beniuk, AAP November 19, 2010, 2:14 pm
Luke McLean admits it felt "awkward" hearing the Australian national anthem as he lined up to play for Italy, but it's the Wallabies he hopes will be out of their comfort zone on Saturday (0100 Sunday AEDT).
Australian-born McLean will play his 23rd Test for the Azzurri in Florence, like the injured Craig Gower qualifying through his grandparents.
The fluent Italian speaker has also spent three years playing for clubs in the country, currently plying his trade with one of their two Magners League teams, Benetton Treviso.
He first came up against the Wallabies in the land of his birth last year.
"The first time I ever played against Australia the feeling was obviously there and it was a bit awkward hearing the national anthem and not singing along," the 23-year-old former Australian junior representative said.
"But then as soon as kick-off starts it's just another match, isn't it? It's another Test match."
McLean, who has played with David Pocock, Will Genia and Lachie Turner, said Italian rugby was on the up under former Springboks coach Nick Mallett with a win over Scotland and good performances against England and South Africa to show for it.
"The first year I was here you probably didn't see too much improvement," said the former Queenslander, who nows lives near Venice.
"Over the last 12 months ... there's definitely improvement.
"We've had the same bunch for more or less two-and-a-half years."
The Azzurri have also done their homework on the Wallabies' sparkling backline by hiring the man who helped the Stormers to the Super 14's best defensive record this season.
Martial arts expert Omar Mouneimne, described as a "collisions and rucks coach", has been helping Italy get ready for the likes of Kurtley Beale and Quade Cooper at the Stadio Artemio Franchi.
The Stormers finished second in this year's Super 14 on the back of a defence which allowed only 171 points to get past them.
No other teamallowed less than 200.
"Coming from Super 14 he knows a lot of the Australians so he's gone through individually with us and as a team as well to try and give us a bit of background knowledge," McLean said.
"If we can emulate the Stormers' defensive record, obviously we'll be happy."
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