WARATAHS fever hit Tamworth yesterday, with hundreds of youngsters rolling up to meet their heroes.
The Waratahs trip hit full-swing with school visits and coaching clinics with local junior and senior
players.
And it seems they have plenty of young fans, with about 200 players turning out for the Tamworth Tri-Colours clinic and sign-on day.
Earlier, Waratahs coach Michael Foley handed Berrick Barnes the first audition for the captaincy for the FXPro Super Rugby kick-off, giving him the nod to lead them out in the absence of Rocky Elsom, in tomorrow night’s Woodleys-Volvo Challenge against Samoa.
Foley has selected two different sides for the trial, with each to play two 30-minute halves.
“We’ve chosen this format to try and give most players 60 minutes of rugby to best complement our pre-season training,” he said.
“Our mandate is to produce 80-minute players and giving most of the guys 60 minutes of trial match rugby is an important progression towards that goal.”
Foley said he looked for combination in deciding the make-up of the two sides, one of which Barnes will skipper and the other Daniel
Halangahu.
The first-half side contains the nucleus of last year’s with a couple of noticeable additions, with South African recruit Sarel Pretorius getting his opportunity at halfback.
The combination of Pretorius and Barnes is one Foley is particularly looking forward to seeing.
The first-half side also includes Tamworth product Paddy Ryan, who will start at tight-head prop, and former sevens captain Pat McCutcheon.
McCutcheon will deputise for Barnes and is another country-produced Waratah, hailing from
Narromine.
“I really enjoy coming out and doing the community camps,” he said.
“It’s not often you get to come back to the country.”
It’s not the first time he’s been to Tamworth.
“I’ve been up to the Country Music Festival before,” he said.
That was a couple of years ago on the way back from a holiday.
This time round there’s a more serious purpose to his visit.
McCutcheon is heading into his third season with the Waratahs after debuting in round 12 of the 2010 tournament in what was a big year for the 24-year old.
“I was fortunate enough to be involved with the sevens for their tour to India for the Commonwealth Games where we went well enough to win silver,” he said.
Not long after that he was back on a plane and headed to the UK with the Wallabies for their Spring Tour.
Last year didn’t quite match that with injury hindering his season, but with those worries hopefully behind him, McCutcheon finds himself one of the leading candidates to succeed stalwart Phil Waugh in the number seven jersey.
He’s seemingly fighting with Chris Alcock for the job in what is regarded as one of the hottest battles.
“We think either Pat or Chris could play there,” Foley said.
He has named McCutcheon at eight for tomorrow night’s trial but said there will probably be opportunity for him to play openside.
That bodes well for McCutcheon’s plans.
“I definitely want to establish myself as a starting player for NSW,” he said.
Whether it’s at seven or eight he doesn’t mind, although he admitted that position-specific, he’s probably more suited to openside.
“I’m looking forward to the challenge (eight). It’s something I haven’t done a lot of training for,” he said, although he has played there a bit for Sydney Uni.
McCutcheon is also excited about having the vc next to his name.
“I’m very proud to be given that role and that will be a challenge,” he said.
As will the Samoans.
“When you play a Pacific Nations team it’s always a challenge,” he said.
NSW Waratahs first-half team: Brackin Karauria-Henry, Lachie Turner, Rob Horne, Tom Carter, Tom Kingston, Berrick Barnes (capt), Sarel Pretorius, Pat McCutcheon, Chris Alcock, Dave Dennis, Kane Douglas, Dean Mumm, Paddy Ryan, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Sekope Kepu.
Second-half team: Toby Browne, Nathan Trist, Michael Hodge, Bernard Foley, Peter Betham, Daniel Halangahu (capt), Brendan McKibbin, Lopeti Timani, Seilala Lam, Tevita Metuisela, Greg Peterson, Richard Stanford, John Ulugia, Damien Fitzpatrick, Jeremy Tilse.
Res: Lotu Taukeiaho, Liam Winton, Jono Jenkins, Grayson Hart, Jesse Leota, Tom Hill.
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