Lucky Country awaits Horne
Lucky country awaits Horne
Bret Harris | April 15, 2008
DUAL international Michael O'Connor believes rookie NSW Waratahs outside centre Rob Horne should be strongly considered for the Wallabies after only one starting appearance in the Super 14.
Horne, 18, already looks like a Test star of the future. He had an outstanding run-on debut in NSW's 17-12 win against Western Force in Perth on Saturday, scoring one of his team's two tries.
O'Connor, who was a Wallabies selector during John Connolly's two-year period as coach, has no doubt Horne is ready to take the next step.
The fact that Horne can play both inside and outside centre, as well as wing, will enhance his Wallabies selection chances.
"Rob Horne is another exciting, young prospect who has come through the schools system," said O'Connor, who is now concentrating on talent identification for the ARU.
"He is quick. He has lightning acceleration. He is also very physical. He is sinewy, but very strong. Don't be fooled by his size. He is tough and quick.
"I think he will be in the Wallabies squad. I would have him in the mix. He's got jet shoes and he is a game-breaker. He'll do some damage in the next few weeks."
O'Connor said Horne had the potential to strike up an outstanding combination with Waratahs five-eighth Kurtley Beale, who played with him at the Australian Schoolboys.
"Kurtley and Rob have played together and they know each other's games," O'Connor said.
Horne was pleased with his run-on debut.
"It was amazing. It was just a great experience, especially playing against another Australian team," Horne said. "There was a lot of fire out there so it was a good learning experience.
"I made a couple of line-breaks, but I could have finished them off a bit better. I hope I can keep performing and stay in that centre position in the next couple of games and see how I go from there."
Is this guy serious? Is he on crack or something? We have the two best outside centres in the Super 14 competition in Ryan Cross and Stirling Mortlock (if not in the World) why would you also bring in a guy who hasn't exactly reinvented the position after playing only 2 games and is only 18?!?!?!? No wonder the Wallabies underperformed when O'Connor was a selector. Now if he was being played as a 12 that would be something else but he isn't.
