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Joe Powell reveals the player who he thought had dented his Wallabies selection chances

(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

Halfback Joe Powell says he’s better prepared for another crack with the Wallabies if he wins selection for next week’s opening Bledisloe Cup test against the All Blacks in Wellington.

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Powell made his test debut back in 2017 but has only played four matches since, and none against New Zealand, who Australia face on October 11.

Now 26 and having won the Super Rugby AU title, where he started in the Brumbies No.9 jersey, Powell says he ready to put his mark on the Wallabies.

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The Aussie Rugby Show | Episode 20

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The Aussie Rugby Show | Episode 20

He’s in a four-way tussle for the test halfback role, with his Brumbies teammate Nic White the incumbent, while the Reds’ Tate McDermott and Waratah Jake Gordon also have strong cases.

“My first time in this set-up I was 22, so I was probably a bit quieter and not as confident around the group, I’d just listen a lot more,” Powell said on Friday.

“Having the opportunity at the Brumbies to be a part of the leadership group has helped me out a lot, and I’ve enjoyed it.”

Under former Wallabies coach Michael Cheika, Powell sat behind White and Wallabies centurion Will Genia, who is now playing in Japan.

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But the signing of new coach Dave Rennie presented a clean slate.

He admitted he thought with White’s mid-season return to the Brumbies from Europe could dent his hopes with Rennie and he could again be left out in the cold.

“I thought I might have been playing around in club footy for the rest of the year, so it was definitely really exciting times to get the call up to the squad,” he said.

“I think with any new coach everyone’s trying to put their hand up and perform the best.

“I think the selections he’s already made in terms of the squad, there’s plenty of new faces so it is exciting, a refreshing time to see some new blood in the squad.”

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Powell’s desire to play test football helped make his decision to leave Canberra after six years of Super Rugby and sign with Melbourne this week.

With White and Ryan Lonergan at the Brumbies and the Rebels losing Ryan Louwrens to Japan, it was a perfect match.

“Playing for the Wallabies a is a huge part of why want to stay in Australian rugby,” he said.

“I wanted to exhaust my options here before I looked overseas.

“I’m definitely happy that the Rebels are there to give me an opportunity to continue to play in Australia.”

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Bull Shark 19 minutes ago
Rassie Erasmus' Boks selection policy is becoming bizarre

To be fair, the only thing that drives engagement on this site is over the top critiques of Southern Hemisphere teams.


Or articles about people on podcasts criticizing southern hemisphere teams.


Articles regarding the Northern Hemisphere tend to be more positive than critical. I guess to also rile up kiwis and Saffers who seem to be the majority of followers in the comments section. There seems to be a whole department dedicated to Ireland’s world ranking news.


Despite being dialled into the Northern edition - I know sweet fokall about what’s going on in France.


And even less than fokall about what’s cutting in Japan - which has a fast growing, increasingly premium League competition emerging.


And let’s not talk about the pacific. Do they even play rugby Down there.


Oh and the Americas. I’ve read more articles about a young, stargazing Welshman’s foray into NFL than I have anything related to either the north and south continents of the Americas.


I will give credit that the women’s game is getting decent airtime. But for the rest and the above; it’s just pathetic coming from a World Rugby website.


Just consider the innovation emerging in Japan with the pedigree of coaches over there.


There’s so much good we could be reading.


Instead it’s unimaginative “critical for the sake of feigning controversial”. Which is lazy, because in order to pull that off all you need to be really good at is:


1. Being a doos;

2. Having an opinion.


No prior experience needed.


Which is not journalism. That’s like all or most of us in the comments section. People like Finn (who I believe is a RP contributor).


Anyway. Hopefully it will get better. The game is growing and the interest in the game is growing. Maybe it will attract more qualified journalists over time.

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