'Is it sacrilege?' All Black firms for Wallabies switch
Former All Blacks prop Alex Hodgman is looming as a potential Wallabies saviour in the wake of Angus Bell’s devastating foot injury.
Reds loosehead Hodgman played four Tests for New Zealand in 2020 but is eligible to switch allegiances to Australia because his father was born in Melbourne.
Waratahs star Bell is Australia’s leading light in the No.1 jersey but has been ruled for the rest of the Super Rugby Pacific season.
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It is unclear whether he will be able to pull on a Wallabies jersey in 2024 but new coach Joe Schmidt will be drawing up contingency plans for the opening Tests against Wales and Georgia at the very least.
Veteran James Slipper is the obvious man to shoulder the burden in Bell’s absence but Schmidt will be wary of not overworking the former Test captain.
Enter the mobile Hodgman, who has had his own injury woes this season but was named to return via Queensland’s bench against Moana Pasifika on Friday.
“Is it sacrilege to say a former All Black could play for the Wallabies in this day and age?” Michael Atkinson asked on Stan Sport’s Rugby Heaven.
Former Wallabies lock Justin Harrison was OK with it as long as Hodgman was fair dinkum.
“If you conform inside those rules until they’re changed, why not? We don’t necessarily need to be parochial about where you first played rugby. It’s the value you add and the Australian way,” Harrison said.
With Angus Bell out, who will prove themselves to be a good enough loosehead? 👀
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“We talk about this Australian way – what is that, by the way? Well, it’s about being adventurous, honest, hard, intelligent, a group of hard working athletes that display what it means to put a Wallabies jersey on.
“If Alex Hodgman shows me what that looks like, I’ll back him as much as he backs himself.”
Speaking earlier to this year, Hodgman cautiously put his hand up for a Wallabies jersey.
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“I don’t see why not. I’m always trying to challenge myself, I’m always trying to become a better version of myself, and if that happens to come my way, then I’ll take it,” Hodgman said.
“But I’ve got to compete for a Reds jersey first, there are a lot of good front rowers, and we’ve got a lot of experience here.
“I actually experienced this before with the All Blacks – when I was trying too hard to try and become an All Black then I started doing things that were out of character.
Alex Hodgman and Richie Mo’unga of the All Blacks celebrate winning a Bledisloe Cup match.
“What I want to do is just be a great Reds man, and then from there whatever opportunity comes my way is what I’ll take.”
Reds coach Les Kiss was just thrilled to get his star signing back.
“The return of Alex is a massive bonus. He worked really hard on his rehab and his local experience in New Zealand conditions is an asset to the squad,” Kiss said.