Valentine's winning hearts at No.10

Rupert Guinness | January 18, 2008

NSW halfback Josh Valentine is poised to become a back-up five-eighth for the Waratahs this year after making an impressive run in the No.10 spot for the side at training yesterday.

Waratahs coach Ewen McKenzie yesterday confirmed he was looking at Valentine as an option for the playmaker's role, especially if another No.10 candidate, Sam Norton-Knight, cements his position at fullback.

If that occurs, the Waratahs would have only Kurtley Beale and Daniel Halangahu left at five-eighth. And if one of them was injured, Valentine could move out one slot, allowing Norton-Knight to remain at No.15.

The Waratahs are considering leaving Norton-Knight at fullback, believing he would be effective there with experimental laws designed to speed up the game to be introduced this season.

"He is one of the longest kickers and a natural counter-attacker, which is what we want, especially under these new ELVs, where you won't want to be caught spending too much time down in your quarter," McKenzie said.

Yesterday's training session in rain at Victoria Barracks presented itself as an opportunity to trial Valentine at five-eighth, as both Norton-Knight and Halangahu did not run due to slight niggles.

However, McKenzie said the trial was not a random experiment as Valentine, 24, had played at No.10 before.

He filled the position when playing rugby in the country - he is from Singleton - and at club level, for one season with Warringah and for 20 minutes with Manly against Gordon last season in the Toohey's New Cup.

"He understands all the calls, kicks with both feet and understands the game. So we thought we would see how he went for a first-up effort [with NSW], which was pretty good. It was worth investigating," McKenzie said.

Such versatility, added McKenzie, could also help Valentine when it came to selection this year for the NSW halfback role, in which he, Brett Sheehan and Luke Burgess will battle for the No.9 jersey. "There is a tight race at halfback and the points of difference can matter, especially if we have a 5-2 bench where you will be looking for versatility," McKenzie said.

Of the three halfbacks, only Valentine and Sheehan, who has recovered from a broken hand, will get a run in the Waratahs' first trial match against the Reds at Campbelltown on Saturday week.

Burgess is set to play the week after against his old team, the Brumbies, after recovering from ankle syndesmosis.

Valentine's goal is to make the No.9 jersey his, but he is keen to become the back-up five-eighth.

Despite his lower level experience at No.10, he admitted that "there is a lot more responsibility at this [Super 14] level".

Speaking before his run at five-eighth yesterday, Valentine said he expected the biggest challenge to be "mainly knowing all the calls and plays and being able to call them unconsciously on the run".

But he didn't go into yesterday's session cold on the prospect, admitting that in recent training runs he had been simulating what he would do in readiness for such a trial.

"Sometimes at training I have been thinking how I would be going to play," said Valentine, who conceded that if he could get the role down pat it could help him add to his four Test caps. "I suppose later on, down the line [it can]. All players who can play more than one position can get a heads up in rep footy."

A medial ligament injury marred Valentine's Super 14 season in 2007, while a hand tendon injury saw him miss the Australian Rugby Championship. But, judging by his mood yesterday, it may have been for the best.

"The best thing to come out of my hand injury is that with the six months of pre-season under my belt I feel the fittest and strongest I have been for the last five years," he said. "I have been training well and am just pretty keen to get out in the trials and play some football."