Super Rugby: Michael Cheika’s praise for Brumbies rookie Jarrad Butler

NSW coach Michael Cheika has declared Brumbies rookie Jarrad Butler as a shock candidate for the Australian back row.

Rugby-Reds v Brumbies

ALL the talk was set to surround the heavyweight battle between Michael Hooper and David Pocock this week, but Wallabies and NSW coach Michael Cheika has thrown the cat among the pigeons by declaring Brumbies rookie Jarrad Butler as a shock candidate for the Australian back row.

Cheika was glowing in his appraisal of Butler, who has brilliantly covered at open side flanker for the injured Pocock in the past three weeks and for most of last season.

The New Zealand-born Butler has impressed Cheika enough for the national coach to throw him into the mix of No. 7 candidates alongside Test-capped Wallabies Hooper, Pocock, Liam Gill and Matt Hodgson.

Asked about the prospect of taking on the returning Pocock this Sunday when defending champions NSW host Super Rugby leaders the Brumbies at Allianz Stadium, Cheika said he expected ACT coach Stephen Larkham to bring him off the bench.

“The guy that has been playing in his place has been outstanding, Butler, he’s just been aggressive, hardworking, he will probably still play if Pocock plays, at No. 8, but [Ita] Vea has been playing well as well,” Cheika said.

“They’re really on song at the moment, if [Pocock] does come back, seeing the way Stephen is operating, he’ll probably come from the bench, reward his players, and why wouldn’t he?”

Larkham, Cheika’s assistant for the Wallabies, said when the Wallabies team is picked it must have both Hooper and Pocock in it, but Cheika said: “I haven’t thought about that selection point of view yet, I’m thinking more squad at this stage and how the depth is.

“We’re very fortunate in regards to those players, we’ve also got Liam Gill whose working hard in a team that’s not having a lot of luck, and like I said even Butler, he’s going fantastic for the Brumbies.

“And Hodgson hasn’t even played a game yet, we’re very lucky in that position.”

Nevertheless, the most likely scenario at this stage is that Pocock will be the man pushing most heavily to oust Hooper from the Wallabies No. 7 jersey at this year’s World Cup.

That will make Sunday’s showdown between the pair a telling battle, although Hooper downplayed the individual battle.

“It’s not a focus for mine, we’ve got so much going on here as a team that getting my role right within the Waratahs outfit is most important,” Hooper said.

“So whether that means I run into Dave a couple of times throughout the game, so be it, but my focus will be on getting my position right.”

The injury-plagued Pocock is one of the finest players in the world when fully fit, but whether he can remain that way for the long term will play a significant role in Cheika’s considerations of Pocock for the Wallabies.

“He showed in game one, he had one game and got man-of-the-match, it’s a matter of him streaking games together,” Cheika said.

The Waratahs’ Michael Hooper says he’s not focussing on any personal battles against David Pocock.

“He knows that, it’s not rocket science, he’s got to get a run of games up so he can get his resilience up.

“He’s a very mature operator, he knows what he needs to do.”

Larkham had considered Pocock for selection last weekend, but decided to give him an extra week so he is fully recovered from an ankle injury suffered in round one, and now the coach has a big decision to make ahead of one of the biggest games of the year.

“It is an interesting combination, you look at the starting back row out there (against the Reds last Saturday) and they certainly played very well,” Larkham said.

“But Poey is itching to get back out there. He has a really good pre-season.

“I thought he started the season exceptionally well.

“He had a good week training last week and we will see how he progresses this week before we make a call on that but it is just a difficult decision. It is a good decision to have.”

Originally published as Super Rugby: Michael Cheika’s praise for Brumbies rookie Jarrad Butler