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Another old favourite is now suddenly back in the Wallabies mix

(Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Sean McMahon will join Samu Kerevi and Quade Cooper in the Wallabies squad next week, becoming the latest former star to be lured back to the Australian fold under the relaxed eligibility laws. Cooper will play on Sunday against South Africa on the Gold Coast for the first time since 2017, which was also when back-rower McMahon last wore Wallaby gold. 

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Still only 27 and regarded as one of the world’s most damaging flankers, McMahon could now play alongside Cooper and fellow Japanese-based centre Kerevi later this month in the Rugby Championship.

Signed to Suntory Sungoliath until 2023, McMahon was unable to play for the Wallabies under the Giteau law criteria, which states a player must have 60 Test caps and have given seven years service to be picked while playing overseas.

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What Dave Rennie has been saying ahead of Sunday’s Wallabies versus Springboks clash

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What Dave Rennie has been saying ahead of Sunday’s Wallabies versus Springboks clash

Those rules have now been relaxed partly due to Covid-19, with coach Dave Rennie able to select two players who don’t meet that criteria. McMahon had expressed an eagerness to return to the Test fold last year and was close to committing to an Olympic campaign with the rugby sevens side.

Now Rennie has finally come calling, McMahon close to completing his hotel quarantine before joining the squad on the Gold Coast. He could line up alongside Kerevi – Cooper has played 70 Tests so qualifies under the existing criteria – as soon as next weekend at Suncorp Stadium to face the Springboks. The Wallabies are also due to play Scotland, England and Wales on their European spring tour in November.

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Tom 5 hours ago
Will Bristol's daredevil 'Bears-ball' deliver the trophy they crave?

Also a Bristol fan and echo your sentiments.


I love watching Bristol but their approach will only get them so far I think. Exeter played like this when they first got promoted to the prem and had intermittent success, it wasn't until they wised up and played a more balanced game that they became a consistently top side.


I really want Bristol to continue playing this brand of rugby and I don't mind them running it from under their posts but I don't think they need to do it every single time. They need to be just a little bit more selective about when and where on the pitch they play. Every game they put themselves under so much needless pressure by turning the ball over under their posts trying to do kamikaze moves when it's not required. By all means run it from your goal line if there is a chance for a counter attack, we all want to see Bristol running in 100m tries from under their posts but I think until they learn when to do it and when to be pragmatic, they are unlikely to win the premiership.


Defense has been a real positive from Bristol, they've shown a lot of improvement there... And I will say that I think this kamikaze strategy they employ is a very good one for a struggling side and could be employed by Newcastle. It's seems to have turned around Gloucester's fortunes. The big advantage is even if you don't have the biggest and best players, what you have is cohesion. This is why Scotland keep battering England. England have better individuals but they look muddled as a team, trying to play a mixed strategy under coaches who lack charisma, the team has no identity. Scotland come out and give it full throttle from 1-15 even if they struggle against the top sides, sides like England and Wales who lack that identity drown under the relentless will and synergy of the Scots. If Newcastle did the same they could really surprise some people, I know the weather is bad up there but it hasn't bothered the Scots. Bristol can learn from Scotland too, Pat is on to something when he says the following but Scotland don't play test matches like headless chickens. They still play with the same level of clarity and ambition Bristol do but they are much better at picking their moments. They needed to go back to this mad game to get their cohesion back after a couple of seasons struggling but I hope they get a bit wiser from matches like Leinster and La Rochelle.


“If there’s clarity on what you’re trying to do as a team you can win anything.”

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