Folau on track for Wallabies debut

Ben Horne,
AAP
March 7, 2013, 9:28 am


Wallabies coach Robbie Deans says Israel Folau is "not that far away" from making a shock Test debut against the British and Irish Lions in June.

Folau is the youngest player to represent Australia in rugby league and now appears on track to become a dual-international in the toughest of arenas.

The cross-code star is just two Super Rugby games into his union career, but Deans confirmed on Thursday that Folau is firmly on his radar.

Deans said the major challenge for the former league star and AFL player would be to find the right instincts in contact and at the breakdown before a 25-man Wallabies squad is picked three weeks out from the first Test on June 22.

"Well, he's not that far away," said Deans.

"He's on the radar.

"His entry into union has been very good. It's not easy going from AFL to union, so he's shown enough encouraging signs and we'll just keep watching.

"The tough area for Israel is the contact area and that's one he'll have to master and master quickly.

"But he's smart and he'll get that done."

It seemed a Wallabies debut in June would be an unlikely scenario for Folau after he struggled against Queensland two weeks ago.

However, his work in setting up two second half tries against Melbourne last Friday showed the 23-year-old has the skills to be a star, provided he can pick up on the finer details.

Deans said on Thursday that he'll lean towards experience when picking his Wallaby squad, because of the lack of preparation his side will have heading into the three-Test tour against the Lions - who last visited Australia in 2001.

However, the exception to the rule is Folau.

Deans is confident Folau's track-record of dominating in State of Origin, Tests and grand finals in league, have him well placed to excel in the cauldron of a Lions series.

"He's a bloke who is not going to be daunted by the occasion," he said.

"He's gone through a rapid learning curve in two weeks. He's shown he has the capacity to learn and he's clearly got some skills that are of value.

"It's very much around habits in many ways.

"Whether he can master those instinctive responses fast enough - but there's 15 rounds of Super Rugby, so that's a good apprenticeship."

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/spo...d-irish-lions/

A shock? Pull the other one! :rolleyes:

Reporter Ben Horne.....any relation to Rob??

We are going to have to listen to this speculation for the whole season, he should be so far away from the squad currently but will probably get selected due to the media beat up.

a 25 man squad would probably only have 4 or 5 outside backs and all of these should be ahead of Folau based on form:

Wingers/Fullbacks
Digby
Beale
O'Connor
Mitchell
Cummins
Shipperley
Mafi
Tomane
Mogg
probably a few more

Not surprised, but seriously!

The feller is chock full of potential, there's no doubt about that but how many other outside backs with a bad case of the dropsies and a habit of dying with the ball would be (and I quote) 'on the radar'?

Give him a couple of games to actually show some quality before we brand him as the great white hype.

(ps Robbie Deans needs to be shot if this is not a massive misquote)

Hope he's good under the high ball?

Would take the pressure of Genia!!!!! :sarcastic:

He was alright under the high ball in his League days but AFL may have given him the fumbles

So long as he doesn't make a tackle then stand there screaming "BAAAAAAWWWWWWWWL"

i think Godwins been playing better than Folau so far anyway, kyles problem though will be that hes playing in a losing team... which from last years team makeup seems to be a bit of an issue.

and Jesse Mogg has been tearing it up at the back too... just a thought

Quote:

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Originally Posted by zimeric

i think Godwins been playing better than Folau so far anyway, kyles problem though will be that hes playing in a losing team...

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Folau is playing on a losing team too!

The Rebels are just better at it than the Tahs!