Rugby League World Cup: Daly Cherry-Evans v Nathan Cleary call down to the wire
The sense is that Daly Cherry-Evans is the underdog to retain his Australian No.7 jersey as he battles with Nathan Cleary. But DCE does hold one big advantage.
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Daly Cherry-Evans knew what was coming when he boarded the plane for England a few weeks ago.
Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga had already given him a heads up. The halfback spot in the Australian team, Meninga told him, would be a dogfight.
Only one would survive as Meninga looked to pair either Cherry-Evans or Nathan Cleary with Cameron Munster once the knockout phase of the World Cup began.
That day has now arrived and Cherry-Evans is comfortable in the knowledge that there is no more he could do. On Sunday morning (AEDT), he had three try assists in Australia’s big win over Italy.
Problem was, so did Cleary. There is not a struck match between them and their fate now rests in Meninga’s hands.
“I knew what I was signing up for, Mal told me before I came that this would be an open competition and that I’d have to fight for a spot,” Cherry- Evans said.
“I was either going to be playing for Australia (deep into the tournament) or having to be a bit selfless and do something for a young group coming through.
“Ideally that’s on the field, but if not I’ll still help this group. I’m pretty relaxed with that sort of stuff.
“And don’t get me wrong, I want to be named for next week and moving forward. But if you just sit in your room and think about these sorts of things you will go crazy.
“I’ll keep busy and whatever happens it’s out of my hands now and if I get another opportunity, I’ll take it with both hands.”
Cleary has adopted a similar view – a hallmark of the team through the opening three matches. They seem like a united group, all 24 pulling in the same direction.
They have certainly played like it, although the sense is that their tournament is a slow burn. Rather than peak early, they are intent on improving over time.
“It’s not every day you get to play with players like him who have done so much in the game,” Cleary said after partnering Cherry-Evans against Italy.
“Saying that I can hold that memory. That’s been the theme of the tour – trying to create good memories.
“It’s out of my hands now. I’ve got to keep training hard and no matter what happens and I’ll be supporting Mal’s decision no matter what.
“That’s the beauty of this team. Everyone is just proud to pull on this jersey … whatever way he goes I’ll be going as hard either way.”
The sense is that Cherry-Evans is the underdog to retain his Australian No.7 jersey but stranger things have happened.
Cleary may have led Penrith to the past two premierships but Cherry-Evans was the last owner of the Australian No.7 jersey and led the Maroons to a State of Origin series win.
For the moment, he and Cleary are taking great joy at playing with each other.
“Everything is as advertised he’s a special player, he’s got great timing and he’s a super competitive player that’s really noticeable when you’re out there,” Cherry-Evans said of Cleary.
“And I guess the other one that sort of surprised me is Isaah Yeo. Jeez, he’s a good player and it’s been great to get a game next to him as well.”
Meninga’s most agonising call after 60-point hiding
Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga is facing one of the most agonising decisions of his national career after Daly Cherry-Evans and Nathan Cleary shared the honours in Australia’s 66-6 thrashing over Italy on Sunday morning (AEDT).
Meninga was no doubt hoping for some clarity out of the game and even though Australia belted their opponents, there was barely a struck match between Cleary and Cherry-Evans.
They each had three try assists as the Kangaroos ran out convincing winners at Totally Wicked Stadium at St Helens.
“I thought they both handled it really, really well.,” Meninga said
“I thought they worked together really well. They shared the workload and the kicking game. Really happy with the way all the players have handled the merry-go-round with the team.
“It is a tough decision. We all know that. Everyone deserves to be there - w’re going to have to make those tough decisions pretty soon.”
THE BATTLE
After naming his team in alphabetical order earlier in the week, Meninga ended the uncertainty prior to kickoff when the official team sheet confirmed Cleary at halfback and Cherry-Evans at five-eighth.
Not that it mattered. Sometimes they played together. On other occasions, they marshalled opposite sides of the field.
Cherry-Evans was the more influential figure early. Then Cleary worked his way into the game and started to control the tempo.
Cleary is a warm favourite among the experts to play halfback at the pointy end of the tournament thanks to his heroics with Penrith but Meninga is a man who values loyalty above all else.
Cherry-Evans has been there and done it for him before. It will all go in the melting pot this week as Meninga prepares to inform one of the two that they won’t be his halfback when the quarterfinals begin.
“It obviously comes down to performance, it comes down to training, it comes down to their off-field behaviour, it comes down to the balance of footy team, it comes down to combinations, it comes down to who is city and healthy at the particular time, it comes down to speaking to our leadership - our leader in particular in Teddy about his feelings,” Meninga said.
“It all marries up around what we value as a footy team. Like I said to you many, many times, the difficult thing is they are all playing really really well.
“That is the tough conversation. It comes down to all those little things. I can’t lose - but the problem is the player does.
“Honestly, I had a dream last night about what the team should be - how important the bench is. You are constantly thinking about it all the time but I have to settle on something soon.”
NO ROOM FOR NOSTALGIA FOR TEDESCO
James Tedesco was given the opportunity to sit out Australia’s final pool game but he wanted none of it. He was desperate to pull on an Australia jersey against the side he represented at two World Cups in honour of his heritage.
He wasn’t in the mood to do his old team any favours and he produced a typical Tedesco performance. He was everywhere and in everything, scoring one try and running for more than 160 metres before he was eventually dragged from the field by Meninga after 52 minutes.
Moments before he made way off, he sent a fright through the Kangaroos camp as he reached for his left knee after being tackled.
“He had his heart in his mouth as well but he has recovered well,” Meninga said
Within seconds, he was wearing a bib on the sidelines watching Australia finish off the Italians. The Kangaroos also face a nervous wait this week after Isaah Yeo was placed on report for a crusher tackle in the second half.
GRAHAM THE BOLTER
With 10 minutes remaining in St Helens, South Sydney outside back Campbell Graham had done everything humanly possible to play his way into the side for the quarters.
Having scored three tries a week ago against Scotland, Graham helped himself to a double at Totally Wicked stadium.
He also ran for more than 100 metres as well and along with Latrell Mitchell, was the pick of the outside backs.
The Rabbitohs centre underwent scans during the week on an elbow concern and after being cleared, there were concerns over another arm injury in the dying minutes of the match.
“He has a sore elbow - he got that last week,” Meninga said.
“There is no damage to it. It is just a bruised bone. He has done really well.”
He wasn’t the only injury concern to come from the game for the Kangaroos. Prop Reagan Campbell-Gillard suffered a corked thigh and faces a race against time to prove his fitness for the quarters.
“It is a good, old fashioned cork to the leg,” Campbell-Gillard said.
“I couldn’t get any movement going. I should be fine. I just have to get the swelling down - that is my main priority right now.”
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