When Michael Cheika announced his World Cup squad last week, there was general bemusement at the fact that he had named only two hookers. What happened if one got injured the day before a game? Aren’t teams required to have two hookers in their matchday squad?
As it turns out, it wasn’t Cheika’s call to only include two specialist hookers in the squad – it was the new scrum guru, and a veteran hooker of four World Cups himself, Mario Ledesma’s decision.
At a press conference this week, Ledesma revealed that he had been training up one of the Wallabies’ props to play hooker if needed. He pointed out that he himself had been one of just two hookers in the Pumas squad at the 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011 World Cups.
“We played … with two hookers and a prop who can play hooker,” Ledesma told the Sydney Morning Herald. Asked who the back-up hooker is, Ledesma grinned and then said: “That’s a surprise.”
Pressed on the issue later, Ledesma said: “If we have an injury that lasts only one week, we’ll make the prop play. If it lasts longer, we just have to get the other hooker [James Hanson from the train-on squad] who has been training with us every day.”
Scott Sio is the man expected to cover as third choice hooker, after having apparently played there during his school days. Ledesma sees no issue with this and isn’t expecting any backlash from World Rugby, who have strict rules on who can and can’t play in the front row.
“When you go in to a game you have to say who is playing tight or loose [head prop] – or if they are playing both,” Ledesma said of official formalities in team selection. “If we don’t put it there, they cannot play on either side; but if you put it there, nobody is asking you, ‘Is this guy able to play both sides?’ [With] the hooker, [it] is the same. I mean, he is a prop. It is not like we are playing a No. 9 as a hooker. That would be dangerous; but a prop as a hooker … there is no danger there.”
Ledesma said his training has not been compromised as a result of the extra hooking work. “He is working as a prop, and a little time here and there we will be working [on hooking]. But I’m real comfortable with ‘Taf’ and ‘Squeak’ [Moore] and if they get a serious injury, the third hooker will come. That is how a lot of teams have been doing it. I played four World Cups. We did every World Cup like that and nothing happened.”
It would seem a remarkable gamble to risk going into a big World Cup game with Sio as one of their two hookers – not to mention the fact it would be depriving them of probably their best prop at the moment.
But if there’s anyone who knows what he’s talking about in this area, it’s Ledesma, and after the way he’s transformed the Wallabies’ scrum in such a short time, there’s little wonder Cheika is listening to him.
Photo by: Patrick Khachfe / Onside Images
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Sensible decision, to my mind. Sarries could help the ARU out by giving Hanson a home until mid-November, if/when Jamie George gets into the England squad :) We’ve got lots of salary cap left, now that Stretts has taken the French euro.
Seems to make sense. Scrum time probably won’t make too much difference – it isn’t as though modern hookers actually hook the ball anyway.
Line outs will be the real test I guess – Aussies will be hoping Scott Sio can throw. If ends up on the bench as a hooker in a knock out game; and has to throw a line out on his own line with 10 mins to go; suddenly this decision is very bold.
A good point about the hooking. Out of interest, can George hook? Webber, Youngs and Cowan-Dickie certainly can’t
On the throwing thing – was watching some lighlights from the Aus v NZ match at the 1991 world cup – fantastic to see no lifting at the line-out
Those were the days, lovely and simple. Perhaps we should go back to it
No idea – but I very much doubt he was ever taught!
Well I was born that year – so I can’t remember too much of watching that game live…
Unlike Youngs and Cown-Dickie, George grew up as a Hooker, so I would be surprised if he has never learned to hook.
You say that, I’ve played 9 most my life and players coming through at my age (similar age to George), don’t really ever hook.
That is a shame. I coach kids, and have done since the mid/late 90’s and all of the Hookers hook.
The simple fact that scrums cannot be pushed more than 1.5m necessitates the Hooker to hook.
Of course, there is a huge difference between junior rugby and the Elite, but they all start somewhere.
Here you go Jacob
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nubSVdwCPRA
2 fantastic tries from Campese and Lynagh
Gotta love campo’s response to the Haka. amazing how unfussy the scrum was back then.
Taking just two Hookers and two Scrum-Halves, in order to free up spaces elsewhere really suggests to me that they don’t know their best team.
Apart from Folau and Ashley-Cooper, do they have anyone “nailed on” in the backs?
I would think Kuridrani is pretty much nailed on
I agree with that to a certain extent.
One thing I would say is that it isn’t like with England. Every 12 we play looks pretty average at best; they are debating between which two between Cooper, Gitaeu, Toomua and Beale start…
who says Hooker has to throw?
Absolutely nobody Gerry. If we go back even further than the no lifting at the lineout it used to be the winger who threw in
Perhaps the Aussies are training up Folau to throw?!? That would confuse the opposition!