Friend's surprise call leads to debut
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For somebody who is yet to make his Super 14 debut, ACT Brumbies utility Shawn Mackay has achieved a heck of a lot in his rugby career.
Following a four-year stint in league from 2000 with the Sydney Roosters, Mackay began what turned out to be a successful rugby Sevens calling.
It was during a Singapore tour with Sydney club side Randwick in 2004 that Mackay caught the attention of the then-Australian Sevens coach Bill Millard.
Millard signed him to the national team and made him captain the following year, a mantle he held until retiring last year.
Following a dominant on-field Sevens career, Mackay ventured into coaching, where he led the first Australian women's Sevens team to an unbeaten Oceania Sevens title last year.
That win earned them automatic entry into the inaugural women's World Cup Sevens, which the Aussies won earlier this month.
But while enjoying a stellar ride in Sevens rugby, deep down Mackay wanted to play in the Super 14.
And it was an unexpected phone call from Brumbies coach Andy Friend in May last year that sparked his switch to the 15-a-side version.
''Friendy was actually the assistant coach of the Australian [Sevens] team when we toured LA and Wellington back in early 2005 so that's where we met,'' Mackay said.
''I hadn't seen him for years when he randomly rang me last year when I was in Scotland and was like 'Macca what have you been doing the past four years and why aren't you playing Super rugby back home?'
''He asked me if I wanted a gig with the Brumbies, I said yes straight away and got back to Canberra for the pre-season.''
This weekend Mackay will make his Super 14 debut when he comes off the bench for the Brumbies against the Johannesburg Lions at Ellis Park.
Friend had named Mackay as 23rd man for the opening four matches but solid on-field performances from the first-choice players made it tough for the coach to make changes.
But an injury to skipper Stephen Hoiles last week made way for Mackay to finally get his break.
Friend kept Mackay as part of an extended squad during the first month of the competition due to his bright personality and impact on the team.
''He's just got such a positive attitude which makes it too hard to not want him around the team as often as possible,'' Friend said.
''As a coach you're always looking for ways to give those guys an opportunity and Macca definitely deserves this chance.
''He epitomises what a coach wants to see in every player and I'm sure all the team could learn a thing or two off Macca.''
Mackay, a lock-flanker, played in both Brumbies' pre-season trials.
He discovered then that having come from Sevens rugby, his speed and fitness gave him an advantage and he's hoping to capitalise on that against the Lions early on Sunday.
''They told me the first 20 minutes of a Super 14 match was the fastest and hardest, but an entire Sevens game only takes 14 minutes,'' Mackay said. ''If I can come on in the second half when there are some tired legs out there, I'd like to think I could exploit that and have a solid impact on the game.''
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news...px?storypage=0
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