‘It’s a clean slate’: Kellaway keen to put Rebels, Wallabies woes in past

After six years away from home, Andrew Kellaway is happy to be back on familiar ground. He pushes his eight-month-old son Teddy’s pram into his local cafe near Centennial Park with his wife Claudia in the early winter sunshine, ready for a long session at the playground.

On the pitch, Kellaway excels at quick, singular decisions that can change the dynamic of a game, but off it, he thought long and hard about a lucrative opportunity to finish his career overseas after a bruising World Cup experience in France left him questioning his international rugby future.

“I was pretty far down the line with [Irish club] Munster, both my wife and I were pretty keen to move overseas and spend a bit more time away,” said Kellaway, who is now with the Wallabies in camp in Brisbane.

“After the events of the World Cup and all that sort of stuff, there was definitely a part of me that thought it was probably time for me to just get away and again, having a little fella adds perspective.

“We made the decision [to sign with Waratahs] and I think it was the right one, to be closer to home and around both of our families. We’ve only been back a week, but we’re certainly glad we made that decision.”

Kellaway had built lasting friendships over four seasons at the Melbourne Rebels, but the demise of the Victorian Super Rugby franchise left players and staff scrambling to secure new employment after the club’s demise.

Wallabies full-back Andrew Kellaway re signs for the WaratahsCredit: Wolter Peeters

Having kicked off his Super Rugby career with the Waratahs in 2016, Kellaway arrives back to a club in turmoil, without a coach and low on confidence after finishing bottom of the ladder. Does that cause him any concern?

“Not so much,” he says. “Look, I have had and still have a great relationship with [former NSW coach] Darren Coleman ... but at the same time I’ve been a professional for 10 years now and I’ve probably had more than 10 coaches.

“The exciting part about that is you get to maybe meet a coach you’ve not had before and have a new relationship, a new perspective on rugby and it hopefully makes you a better player and that’s exciting.”

Kellaway enjoyed mentoring younger players in Melbourne and is looking forward to working with the highly rated Joseph Suaalii, having witnessed the Roosters centre play for the King’s School in the GPS competition.

Wallabies full-back Andrew Kellaway with his wife Claudia and son Teddy.Credit: Wolter Peeters

“He’s a freak and he can play,” Kellaway said. “I’m excited about helping him learn the game again. You talk about why you play the game, and it’s like Israel Folau all over again. We saw how good he was.

“The chance to again be a part of this guy’s development and hopefully just sit back and watch it go, he is a freak, so I’m excited.”

Kellaway was named in Joe Schmidt’s squad for next month’s Tests against Wales and Georgia and he cannot wait to play for the new Wallabies coach.

“It’s a clean slate and that’s the exciting part,” Kellaway said. “It’s been a tough 18 months. World Cup Wallabies and Melbourne Rebels at the same time … [you] would be forgiven for having a pretty flat outlook on rugby at the moment.

“It’s another opportunity to impress with hopefully nothing under the bridge, there’s no water under the bridge, so it’s another chance to have a crack.”

Andrew Kellaway endured a bruising World Cup in FranceCredit: Getty

At just 28, Kellaway has already lived several lives as a rugby player. There was the immensely talented schoolboy star who initially failed to translate his promise in the professional game, then the one who left the Waratahs six years ago and rediscovered his form and love for the game in England with Northampton.

Given his own transformative experiences in England and subsequently Japan with NEC Green Rockets, Kellaway wants Australia to cast its selection net as widely as possible to pick the best possible players.

“I should preface this by saying if more people come back from overseas, it’s probably me who gets cut from the team, so I feel like I’m able to speak freely on this,” Kellaway said.

“I’d like to see more international guys playing [for the Wallabies], I don’t think we can afford as a game to finance and give young guys money to incentivise them, so success is probably the next best thing, and to me, definitely in the short term, the way we get success is by including those guys.

”I know the management at Rugby Australia have an incredible challenge. How do you balance the short-term success, by bringing those guys back versus the long-term success by developing guys.

“I don’t for a second underestimate that challenge, but if you’re asking me what do I think, I’d love to see Bernard Foley, Will Skelton, Liam Gill, guys like that.

“At one point in their career these guys were top of their game so I’d love to see if they’re still there and I think the only way is getting them back and getting involved and who knows maybe that’s the kick up the arse they need to come home, who knows.”

Kellaway understands he is entering the final chapter of his career. Back home in Sydney after a long time away, he is determined to make lasting memories for his son when he eventually puts on the Wallabies jumper again.

“I want to be able to share those times with my family, you know, I’d love to have Teddy watch me play and sit in a changing room. Those are all experiences I got to see other guys have,” Kellaway said.

“Like Marika Koroibete, his kids are in the changing room helping him to take his tape off and all these things, and to me, that’s what it’s all about. It’s playing really good hard rugby in a team that you believe can win, and then sharing that with people you love.“

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