Firebrand rookie off leash






Wayne Smith | October 31, 2008


SMALL wonder the All Blacks were caught by surprise by Richard Brown's raw aggression and fury when he made his Test debut against them last month. He's always such a happy, smiling boy from the bush.

Brown hit BledisloeIII like a whirlwind when he came off the bench to replace the injured Wycliff Palu at number eight with half a Test to be played at Suncorp Stadium on September 13, repeatedly smashing through the New Zealand defence.

Afterwards, he lit up the otherwise gloomy Wallabies post-match press conference. Sure, he was as disappointed as his team-mates after Australia threw away a 10-point lead to lose the Test and Tri-Nations series, but he could not hide his excitement at having earned his first cap.

Yesterday, that same wide smile was stretched across his face after he was named to make his run-on debut against the same foe tomorrow night at Hong Kong Stadium.

"Getting the jersey with the starting number on the back of it will be pretty darn good," said Brown, who may have earned the nod even if Palu had been back to full fitness.

"I'm just trying to be as prepared as I can be. I'm not sure how long I'm going to be out there, but starting a game should be interesting. The intensity should be up."
The pity is that none of his family will be in Hong Kong to see him run on. They will be watching back in Julia Creek, in the heart of Queensland's cattle country. "They can't make it here, unfortunately," said Brown, grumbling good-naturedly about cattle prices.

Heaven knows the Crusader players in the All Blacks side should have been alerted to the danger Brown posed after he spearheaded the Western Force to a near upset in Perth at the start of the Super 14 season.

He had Ali Williams rattled, the All Blacks second-rower mouthing off at him non-stop as the match built to its climax. Although to be fair, Williams is one of the more loquacious players in world rugby.

It was that performance which thrust the Force backrower into the front rank of Wallabies contenders and the fact he turned on the display against Deans' Super 14 side would not have harmed his prospects.

Now he has made the Test starting team as a member of a rebuilt backrow, alongside George Smith and Waratahs blindside flanker Dean Mumm, Brown is determined not to change his habits.

"I generally try to keep as relaxed and happy as I can right up to the point of kick-off," he explained.

"It just makes getting into that game mode a lot easier rather than thinking about it for hours and hours beforehand.

"I listen to music, have as many jokes as possible, mainly talk to Hugh McMeniman because he's a pretty funny guy. He keeps my mind off things."

As one of four players in the starting XV, alongside five-eighth Matt Giteau, winger Drew Mitchell and fullback Adam Ashley-Cooper, with experience of playing for Australia in Hong Kong, in the sevens tournament, Brown is aware it won't just be the All Blacks making things hot and steamy but the weather as well.

"You just have to know that the ball is going to have a lot of moisture on it, I think," he said.

"I'll just try to make the most of it, I suppose. I've been here twice for the sevens, but coming here with the XVs is better.

"To be touring with the guys every day is a complete buzz, just to be walking around here."

For all his laughter and lightness of spirit, Brown has a pretty good grip -- and not just on the rugby ball.

Now that he is where he wants to be, he's not going to let go easily of his new position.

Additional reporting: AAP



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