'Perth Spirit player to make debut for Italy'

Aussie to Make Rugby Debut for Italy

Little-known Australian Luke McLean has been thrown into the "deepest of deep ends" with a shock selection at five-eighth for Italy against Rugby World Cup champions South Africa.

Only eight months ago Queenslander McLean was playing fullback for Perth Spirit in the Australian Rugby Championship but the 20-year-old will Saturday line up for an unlikely Test debut.

Italy's former Springboks coach Nick Mallett has looked to the future by punting on the former Australian under-19 representative for the Azzurri's playmaking role at Newlands in Cape Town.

It promises to be a baptism of fire for McLean, who qualifies through an Italian-born mother and hasn't played flyhalf since high school in Brisbane.

But Italy are on tour without...

http://news.smh.com.au/sport/aussie-...0619-2tcx.html

Any chance a mod can change the title to 'Perth Spirit player to make debut for Italy'?

Makes it more exciting. :)

wow good on him!

thats so cool!! well done!!

im actually long time family friends with the Mclean family, good to see luke go well, little dissapointing that it has to be with Italy though, i would have loved to see him play for Australia one day.

Porca la miseria, e possibile?

Giovanni Eales doveva farlo anni fa.

Cheers Mods. :approve:

Shame the ARC was killed off. It produced some good players in just one season.
I wonder how Australian Rugby would be after five years with an ARC style comp?

You'd certainly have to wonder, when he is just one in a long line of guys who have kicked on. Good on him - hope he does well.