Rugby Championship: Wallabies poised to unleash Sean McMahon after four-year hiatus

After a four-year absence, Sean McMahon is ‘excited’ about the prospect of lining up for the Wallabies against Argentina this weekend.

After a four-year Wallabies hiatus, McMahon is raring to go. Picture: Chris Hyde / Getty Images

Sean McMahon hopes his trademark physicality can help the Aussies continue their winning ways, should he earn a Wallabies recall this Rugby Championship.

The explosive loose forward has been contracted with the Suntory Sungoliath in Japan for four years and hasn’t played for the Wallabies since 2017.

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However, talks with Wallabies coach Davie Rennie persuaded him to fly back to Australia, where he looms as a likely inclusion in the side to face Argentina this Saturday night.

While he’s enjoyed his time in the Land of the Rising Sun, McMahon says he’s missed the feeling of being in Wallabies camp.

“Everyone misses throwing on the gold jersey when they don’t have the chance to put it on anymore,” he told reporters on Monday.

“Playing teams at such a high level, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina. You miss those games, especially when you’re sitting on the sidelines watching it from the tele.

“It’s good to be back and the chance to potentially do it again is exciting.”

McMahon last played for the Wallabies on their tour of the UK in November, 2017. Picture: AFP / Olly Greenwood

McMahon isn’t the only old hand Rennie has lured back from Japan this Rugby Championship – both Samu Kerevi and Quade Cooper have made emphatic returns to the national side in recent weeks, breaking two and four-year droughts, respectively.

McMahon has lauded the combination of youth and experience found in the current Wallabies crop.

“It’s a little bit different. I’d nearly classify myself as an old bull now, there’s so many young faces around,” he said, with a laugh.

“They’re all great lads, a lot of energy, which is great.

“There’s a lot of experience as well, with Hoops (Michael Hooper) and Slips (James Slipper) still here.”

The Wallabies have bounced back from their disappointing Bledisloe Cup campaign to knock off world champions South Africa twice in two weeks, and McMahon says he hopes to help the Aussies continue their winning ways in the two matches against the Pumas.

Recent wins over South Africa have elevated the Wallabies to number three in the World Rugby rankings. Picture: Jono Searle / Getty Images

“To come in and see how they’ve bounced back against South Africa, the world champs, has been fantastic, and to see how hard the boys are pushing themselves at training,” he said.

“For me, it’s just coming in and trying to bring that energy that I’ve always been known to bring – 110 per cent and bring that physicality.”

Despite needing to complete two weeks of hotel quarantine on arrival in Australia, McMahon looks ready to do just that – he was released from lockdown last Tuesday and arrived at the Wallabies’ Townsville camp in tip-top shape, already impressing the coach with his work rate.

“Our trainer put him through a pretty tough workout yesterday and he was in fantastic condition,” Rennie said.

“His report was he reckoned he’d be the fittest in this team. That’s how good he is.”

McMahon credits his fitness to the Wallabies’ strength and conditioning staff, who decked his hotel room out with gym equipment.

“I was just basically living in a gym for two weeks,” McMahon said.

“The day consisted of me getting up and knocking out two or three hours of training in the morning, having a little snooze and some lunch and then jumping back on the bike for about 10km in the afternoon.

“There’s not a lot to do when you’re stuck in a room. It’s kind of like a glorified jail cell.”

All signs are that McMahon will join the back row come Saturday night, but the 27-year-old is taking nothing for granted.

“There’s plenty of competition, especially in this environment at the moment; there’s a lot of youth and then you’ve got the experience of Hoops,” McMahon said.

“It’s great. It pushes you to want to learn quickly and get your head around everything.

“Those boys have been more than willing to help me out and try to get my knowledge up to speed as quickly as possible.”