If NSW rookie Ben Volavola looks up and sees Quade Cooper standing opposite him in Saturday night’s Super Rugby grudge match, at least he has a reference point for keeping his emotions in check.
The unheralded Waratahs No.10 last week squared off against childhood hero and Crusaders maestro Dan Carter and didn’t fold under the pressure.
The 22-year-old figures it can’t get any more surreal as he prepares for a possible debut against Queensland in the cauldron of Suncorp Stadium.
Now with Berrick Barnes almost certainly ruled out of the interstate derby and first-choice five-eighth Bernard Foley in some doubt with an ankle injury, Volavola is a shock contender to start opposite Reds magic-man Cooper.
The Waratahs announce their side on Thursday and, while Foley is expected to be cleared to start, Volavola will appear somewhere in the 22.
Cooper had to resort to Google to find anything out about his potential opposite, but Volavola knows what he can expect from the Wallabies star.
“He’s the best No.10 in Australia for a reason. It’s very exciting to think I’ll be playing against him,” Volavola told AAP.
“He’s someone I’ve looked up to. He possesses skills no one in the world probably has.
“It was only a couple of months ago I was watching him on TV, and same with Dan Carter.
“It’s one challenge after another. They’re world class flyhalves and I’ve just got to see how I go against Quade if I do get time.”
If he was to run on at No.10, Volavola would become the first Fijian in Super Rugby history to start at five-eighth.
Volavola had a breakout Sydney rugby season with grand finalists Southern Districts last year, playing fullback.
However, the Oatley junior has played most of his rugby at five-eighth and will go into Saturday night’s clash behind an all-Wallaby forward pack with a simple thought process.
“Just play my own game and don’t overplay myself,” he said.
Former Brumbies and Reds lock/flanker Mitchell Chapman could be the one bolter in the Waratahs’ Test-quality pack.
Kane Douglas is still working his way back from an ankle injury and may be eased into action off the bench with Chapman starting alongside Sitaleki Timani in the second-row.
Rising winger Tom Kingston’s sizzling pre-season form and Lachie Turner’s strong return from hamstring surgery may also see another Test star, Drew Mitchell, named as a reserve.
The Reds are expected to make just one starting change to the team which fell 24-6 to the Brumbies in round one with centre Anthony Faingaa to return from hand injury at the expense of Aidan Toua.
