Fiji-born winger Henry Speight’s worth to Australian rugby has been highlighted by immediate inclusion in the Wallabies squad for the upcoming Rugby Championship.
Despite being unavailable for the opening half Australia’s campaign, including the first two Bledisloe Cup matches, Speight is one of two specialist wingers in the 32-man squad.
The in-form Brumbies flyer won’t be eligible to play for the Wallabies until September 11, which will end a frustrating 12-month wait to play Test rugby.
Coach Ewen McKenzie said Speight’s speed and tackle-busting ability was a timely compensator for the loss of cult hero Nick Cummins, who has signed a lucrative deal to play in Japan later this year after featuring in all three Tests against France in June.
“You don’t like to lose any players but that happens and circumstances are very different,” McKenzie said on Wednesday.
“We’re also confident there’s players arriving too and this is probably as good an example as you get – obviously a crowd favourite in Nick Cummins departing but also a really interesting guy coming through as well in Henry Speight.
“We think he’s been in good form and obviously he’s going to become eligible.
“He was involved in the squad in June informally, so we’ve formalised that.”
McKenzie admitted he knew little about the 26-year-old until June.
“And I was very impressed with him on and off the field, given he wasn’t formally involved,” he said.
“He was a great contributor and he’s got a great mind for the game. So he’s an interesting player for the longer term.”
Injured halves Will Genia and Quade Cooper have been left out of the squad, but McKenzie remains hopeful they will feature at the back end of the Rugby Championship.
Genia may well be available to return from ankle surgery in the September 6 clash against South Africa in Perth, while his Queensland Reds halves partner Cooper is further behind in his rehabilitation from hip and shoulder operations.
There’s no surprises in McKenzie’s squad, captained by Michael Hooper and including 25 players who tasted action in the 3-0 series clean sweep of France.
Melbourne Rebels lock Luke Jones, who debuted in the second Test against Les Bleus, has also been dropped following impressive starting debuts by Sam Carter and Will Skelton.
Brumbies duo Ben Alexander and Joe Tomane have returned from injuries and are strongly in the mix to start in the Bledisloe opener at ANZ Stadium on August 16 when the All Blacks will strive for a world record 18 straight Test victories.
The Wallabies assemble on August 3 for a week-long Bush2Bledisloe regional road trip across Dubbo, Orange, Bathurst and Penrith.
