Jesse Mogg

[The Ethicist]

Has to be the wallaby 15

Wouldn't it be nice if the wallabies had a fullback that could tear teams apart with blistering pace?

Dead set

[Alison]

He has played brilliantly so far this season!

[PerthGirl]

But that's Izzys spot, isn't it?

[oxleymoron]

New Chris Latham?
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[The InnFORCEr]

Izzy or Jesse??

[oxleymoron]

Izzy or Jesse??

Not izzy
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[beige]

For sheezee.

[PeterM]

HE'S arguably the hottest player in Australian rugby but Brumbies coach Jake White has poured cold water on talk of Jesse Mogg's ascension into the Wallabies.

Mogg has been the eye-catching standout for the Brumbies so far this season; earning rave reviews for his superb form at fullback for the Australian conference leaders.

With electric pace, the 23-year-old has scored three tries and laid on a handful as well with a range of skills.

Mogg was brilliant in feathering a late grubber through for a Christian Lealiifano try against NSW last weekend, but it was bettered by his late counter-attacking run that saw the no.15 slice through and set Robbie Coleman up for a chip-and-chase pearler.

After burning Digby Ioane and Lachie Turner for pace this year, Mogg is likely the quickest Australian player, and his running game is well complemented by a booming left boot.

In only his second season, Mogg is in Super Rugby's top five players for tries scored, run metres and kick metres.

Unsurprisingly, then, Mogg's name has been heavily mentioned as Wallabies bolter to play the British and Irish Lions but keen to minimise expectations on his young star, White has cautioned a premature Test call-up.

"I think Jesse is a fantastic player, of course, but one of the things we have to be mindful of in Australian rugby is just when you play two or three games doesn't turn you into a Wallaby,'' White said.

"He has a long way to go still. He is enjoying his rugby. I think we just need to be mindful one Super Rugby season, or three consecutive games, of form doesn't turn you into a Wallaby.''

After being plucked out of Canberra club rugby, Mogg was selected in the Wallabies' squad last year in his debut Super Rugby season.

But despite his obvious potential, White is concerned Mogg is not rushed into Test rugby before he is ready.

"At the end of the day you want a Wallaby who can play 100 games for Australia, most of those guys served their time,'' White said.

"I often think of a guy like Mike Hussey, who came into the Test team only after scoring 10,000 first-class runs. Look at what he had to do before he got picked for Australia. Like I said, I am not taking anything away from Jesse but at the same time we don't want to be rushing him and giving him things that he probably can't handle.

"At the end of the day I want him to be a great Wallaby, I want him to be someone who gets picked every week on merit, and every week people say he's the best player in Australia. And consistently the best.

"I am not here to stand in his way and I don't want to say he's not ready yet, but I want him to appreciate that it's not just going to happen. He is going to have to back that form up regularly.''

White's views appear to already be shared by Wallabies coach Robbie Deans, however.

Asked about Mogg's Test prospects by a Canberra newspaper: ''He's on the radar; it hasn't gone unnoticed, his contribution to the team. I guess now it's about backing up in the next few weeks,'' he said.

Deans said Mogg's form against overseas teams would be telling in coming weeks.