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New Zealand-born cross-code star chasing maiden Wallabies call-up

(Photo by Tracey Nearmy/Getty Images)

There’s a new-born hunger growing inside Australian Super Rugby clubs.

It’s fuelled by the promise from new Wallabies coach Dave Rennie that form will trump reputation when picking his test sides.

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Brumbies inside centre Irae Simone, who re-signed on Tuesday until 2022, extended his stay in Canberra in a bid to make the Wallabies No. 12 his own this year.

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New Zealand-born Simone came to Australia in 2014 and spent two years at NRL club South Sydney and then two seasons at the NSW Waratahs.

The 24-year-old joined the Brumbies last season and made 16 appearances, including starts in their quarter-final and the semi-final.

“I came down with some goals. I got an opportunity and I didn’t look back – I grabbed it with both hands,” Simone said.

“It was good to get that security (of re-signing). All I need to worry about now is playing good footy.

“(Wallabies) is a goal but at the moment my priority is Brumbies.

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“If can do well here then everything else will take care of itself.”

Simone will line up against another Wallabies aspirant, Billy Meakes, when the Brumbies host the Melbourne Rebels on Friday night.

The Rebels are reeling following an embarrassing loss to the axe-bound Sunwolves in Japan, and Simone said he’s expecting a massive response.

“A team like that, they won’t let that happen again, they’ll be looking to bounce back,” he said.

“Our main priority is to be physical because we know they’re going to come out firing.

“They’re going to play direct and quick – Meakes is pretty hard on ball and (Matt) Toomua will just run the show.

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“It’s about shutting down Toomua, he’s a good ball player and the one directing their players so we’ll see if we can take him out of the game.”

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Brumbies hooker Folau Faingaa agreed and promised the wonky scrum that featured in their season-opening win against Queensland last week was fixed.

“The Rebels would be filthy but they’ve got a week to get themselves together and bounce back,” Faingaa said.

“First game you’ve got to get those cobwebs out. Now it’s about putting on a good show for our community who are hurting a bit (due to bushfires).”

– AAP

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Flankly 2 hours ago
'Absolute madness': Clive Woodward rips into Borthwick in wake of NZ loss

Borthwick is supposed to be the archetypical conservative coach, the guy that might not deliver a sparkling, high-risk attacking style, but whose teams execute the basics flawlessly. And that's OK, because it can be really hard to beat teams that are rock solid and consistent in the rugby equivalent of "blocking and tackling".


But this is why the performance against NZ is hard to defend. You can forgive a conservative, back-to-basics team for failing to score tons of tries, because teams like that make up for it with reliability in the simple things. They can defend well, apply territorial pressure, win the set piece battles, and take their scoring chances with metronomic goal kicking, maul tries and pick-and-go goal line attacks.


The reason why the English rugby administrators should be on high alert is not that the English team looked unable to score tries, but that they were repeatedly unable to close out a game by executing basic, coachable skills. Regardless of how they got to the point of being in control of their destiny, they did get to that point. All that was needed was to be world class at things that require more training than talent. But that training was apparently missing, and the finger has to point at the coach.


Borthwick has been in the job for nearly two years, a period that includes two 6N programs and an RWC campaign. So where are the solid foundations that he has been building?

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