0
Wallabies rookie makes a statement
Published: 2:39PM Friday September 10, 2010
Source: NZPA
Ben McCalman - Source: Getty Images
David Pocock was immense, kicking hero Kurtley Beale got mobbed by his joyous teammates, but in the Wallabies dressing room in Bloemfontein Ben McCalman was acclaimed as Australia's man of the match.
\A rough hewn forward from a wheat and sheep farm near Warren in country New South Wales - who only made his Super 14 debut for the Western Force this year - McCalman ended his first start in a Tri-Nations rugby international with the gold cup awarded to the Wallabies' player's player against South Africa.
The bearded 22-year-old was reticent when revisiting his contribution to Australia's long overdue 41-39 victory on the highveld last weekend, their first in 47 years.
"I was happy with my game," he said.
David Pocock, who now rivals Richie McCaw as the game's premier openside flanker, was slightly more articulate when assessing the converted No 8's performance.
"A lot of my success and enjoyment comes from the work of the guys around you. Ben McCalman had a superb game I thought."
McCalman's reward for an imposing display is a maiden Bledisloe Cup test against the All Blacks at ANZ Stadium here tomorrow night.
Hold his own against McCaw, Kieran Read and Victor Vito and a player forced into the second row at the Force because of the loose forward resources at coach John Mitchell's disposal could be a fixture at the back of the Wallabies' scrum on their end of year tour.
With Wycliff Palu gone for the year after breaking down against the Crusaders in the Super 14, Wallabies head coach Robbie Deans has struggled to fill that substantial void.
The limitations of Richard Brown, the Force's incumbent No 8, were exposed by the All Blacks in Melbourne and Christchurch, giving McCalman an unexpected leg up for game three.
"It would certainly be a great opportunity to cement that spot leading into the end of year tour," he said ahead of his fourth test.
McCalman debuted off bench against South Africa in Australia's Tri-Nations opener at Brisbane in July and immediately felt he belonged
after his first touch set him on a collision course with Pierre Spies.
"I didn't expect to get it and then ran into Spies expecting pretty heavy contact but luckily got the better of him on that occasion," he said.
"I just felt, 'How good's this? Give me some more'."
McCalman's uncomplicated approach - inspired by watching loose forward hard men Jerry Collins and Toutai Kefu - first impressed Deans when he watched the 1.92m, 106kg enforcer play club rugby last year.
"We noticed his love of the physical exchanges, he's a bloke who's not daunted by anything," Deans said.
His physicality is clearly not an issue; the challenge now is expanding his skill set and building a rapport with Pocock to the level McCaw and Read operate under.
"They're certainly the benchmark at the moment," he said, adding the gap might eventually close.
"With us both at the Force it helps us understand how each of us play.
"David's always following the ball around so if you can make a dominant tackle or a low tackle he's always there to get on that ball which certainly helps him out," McCalman said of his brief.
Although he concedes experience and speed to rival No 8 Read, McCalman reckoned the Pocock/McCaw duel was a fair fight.
"He's shown before he can dominate him McCaw at the breakdown, I'm sure he'll be excited about tomorrow."
http://tvnz.co.nz/rugby-news/wallabi...tement-3772618
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by KenyaQuin
... 
that'll liven up the thread!
