Hewat’s shock omission
24 May 2006
Peter Hewat looks destined to never play for the Wallabies.
The Waratahs fullback, who for the second successive year proved one of the stars of the Vodacom Super 14, has again been overlooked for the Australian squad.
Not even a change of coach in John Connolly could brighten Hewat’s international prospects and he has not cracked an invite to Connolly’s squad of 40. Other Waratahs missing include David Lyons and Morgan Turinui, while veteran prop Bill Young and last year’s international rookie of the year Drew Mitchell have also not made the squad.
48 Comments
24 May 2006, 13:22 pm
Dragons…
24 May 2006, 13:22 pm
And everyone is complaining about Luke Watson and Schalk Brits? This is a shock ommision.
24 May 2006, 13:23 pm
I agree jds…
What is knuckles thinking?
24 May 2006, 13:24 pm
Where is the whole squad? Did Staniforth make it.
That’s pretty kak about Hewat – he was just about the best Ozzie back in the tournament.
24 May 2006, 13:25 pm
Consider the fact that he’s ****.
He has no real pace, and is an opportunist.
I would not pick him either, there are better players at wing and fullback.
Tough one, but tough ****
24 May 2006, 13:26 pm
Katman,
Staniforth made the squad.
He deserves it!
24 May 2006, 13:28 pm
To be fair, Ja, he was one of the highest points scorers, but he’s not going to be kicking for a side that has Mortlock in it. And agreed Jake_White, they have PLENTY of wingers and fullbacks.
Must admit, I’m amazed at Drew Mitchell’s exclusion…..Show’s their depth at wing I guess.
24 May 2006, 13:28 pm
It is a shock, I mean leading points scorer, all round talented player like Hewat should at least be given a chance.
In the case of Turinui and Mitchell i must say I am astonished. Alongside Mortlock Turinui was always a threat and performed well. Mitchell I have to say was the star talent from last year, really impressed me.
In these cases something else might be going on. Maybe because of personal problems or nagging niggles. We never know.
If not Connolly is a moron.
24 May 2006, 13:28 pm
Oh Jake_White, have you seen any of his games? Because it sounds like you’re mumbling out of your arse.
24 May 2006, 13:35 pm
Some northern hemisphere team will soon trace some or other long lost granpa to him and they will loose this player forever.
Have to say that gerrard, tuiqiri and ratshit(rathbone) are better wings than him. He has a great boot though…
24 May 2006, 13:37 pm
But that’s just the point, his boot isn’t going to be needed when you have Mortlock…..
24 May 2006, 13:37 pm
This is bs that could leave someone like Hewat out. Waste of good talent. He was in the waratahs for his ball skills not his kicking shakes, That had plenty back up for that(Rogers, Knight. Him and Mitchell should in there i dont give s**t wat anyone says.Lyons and turinui is this coach guffed and drunk or just farkin stupid
24 May 2006, 13:40 pm
I dunno hey, if you take his kicking away, there are better ballplayers in that squad than him. Don’t get me wrong, i’m a big fan of Hewatt’s, but just being realistic.
Do you think he offers more than the likes of Rogers, Rathbone, Tuqiri, Latham etc?
24 May 2006, 13:47 pm
Agree with s34, he was probably the most outstanding player in the tah’s backline, but a lot of talent to get past to oust the incumbent wallabies…
24 May 2006, 13:49 pm
Drew Mitchell being omitted is a shocker. He was their best back last year.
24 May 2006, 13:49 pm
Put him in the frontrow!
24 May 2006, 13:51 pm
Ja, that one does have me baffled. Really is a quality player. Would have him ahead of Rathbone, who seems to have faded off a bit of late….
24 May 2006, 13:53 pm
Mitchell was awesome last year but failed to impress in the Super 14
24 May 2006, 13:53 pm
If Connolly has half as many injuries as Eddy Moans did last season…..these okes will be called up.
24 May 2006, 13:55 pm
He was more impressive than Rathbone in this S14, surely? Have hardly even seen the squad actually, who are the wingers?
24 May 2006, 13:57 pm
makhulu, not even habana or bakkies will impress if they were in the reds side…:smile:
24 May 2006, 13:58 pm
But maybe they wouldn’t be injured now, would’ve been one less game!
24 May 2006, 13:59 pm
Hewat ommitted, Not surprising at all.
He had folded in all the tight games, bad tackler and fumbler under pressure.
Most points for him were against weak opposition and he let in a lot of points.
24 May 2006, 14:01 pm
Give Peter Hewat his due, he showed a greater all round foot balling brain than guys like Rathbone.
24 May 2006, 14:01 pm
Die weak opposition is seker Cats…
24 May 2006, 14:14 pm
Bokinozzie
You talking about the same Hewat, f\b and wing for the waratahs..
24 May 2006, 14:16 pm
Mitchell wasn’t half the player that he was in 2005. And neither was Rathbone. Even Gerard has been a bit of an annonymous passenger this year. But Hewat has been consistently good and a great kicker in just about every game he played in the last two years.
Those of you saying he’s just an opportunist – what rubbish. Just because he does score some intercept tries, that doesn’t make him a bad player. He seldom sacrifices his defensive responsibilities and more often than not he pulls it off.
Also, some claim he has no pace. More rubbish. Are you saying that he’s slower than big Dell? Dell’s pace was never a problem and, until his brush with Charlie, he was a certainty for the squad. Hewat has finished a number of classic wing tries this season that required all the ingredients – vision, handling skills and pace.
I think it’s a mistake that he’s not in the squad.
24 May 2006, 14:20 pm
Katman
All your points are valid and agreed with, but if Mitchell couldn’t retain his place after his awesome international debut seasonlast year, Hewat was also going to struggle.
I’m pretty sure we will be jeering him in the gold in the not too distant future. At least Jake is not the only one that ignores glaring talent and form!
24 May 2006, 14:32 pm
Yup, and hopefully Connelly is copping as much flak from them as we give to Jake….At least Jake has proven us all wrong before,this is Connelly’s first chance to be doubted
24 May 2006, 14:36 pm
Mitchell is a young guy who suffered some second season blues it seems.His poor form for the Reds this year has resulted in his omission,however I would not doubt for a minute that the ARU have taken remedial steps and we will see the lad re-appear for the better.
24 May 2006, 14:43 pm
Jake should get him to SA.
He will be the perfect replacement for Percy.
24 May 2006, 14:58 pm
He is indeed Australias version of Percy. Hence why he wasn’t picked.
24 May 2006, 15:14 pm
guys connolly has picked the majority on form unlike Jake White. turinui, lyons and mitchell didn’t have the runs on the board. Gerrard has been playing first receiver for most of the super 14 and kicking like a dream in general play. ben tune can cover wing and centre.
24 May 2006, 15:19 pm
mitchell has made a bad career move by signing with the force to play fullback although he made his name last year as a wing. Cameron Shepherd was outstanding there since he moved there off the wing.
24 May 2006, 15:26 pm
Agree, Brumby. Shepherd and Staniforth were outstanding in a team that really struggled to get onto the front foot. I can’t see Mitchell moving either of them. Mitchell might have to go back to wing.
24 May 2006, 15:31 pm
ioane wasn’t half bad either. has the same problem as drew loses the ball far to easily.
Australia train-on squad:
Chris Latham, Cameron Shepherd, Lote Tuqiri, Mark Gerrard, Clyde Rathbone, Scott Staniforth, Matt Giteau, Stirling Mortlock, Gene Fairbanks, Ben Tune, Stephen Larkham, Mat Rogers, Sam Norton-Knight, Lachlan MacKay, George Gregan, Sam Cordingley, Brett Sheehan, Luke Burgess, Josh Holmes, George Smith, Rocky Elsom, Daniel Heenan, Phil Waugh, Wycliff Palu, Stephen Hoiles, John Roe, Scott Fava, Nathan Sharpe, Dan Vickerman, Mark Chisholm, Al Kanaar, Greg Holmes, Benn Robinson, Nic Henderson, Gareth Hardy, Rodney Blake, Al Baxter, Guy Shepherdson, Adam Freier, Tai McIsaac, Jeremy Paul, Tatafu Polota-Nau.
24 May 2006, 16:12 pm
Makhulu
Yes the same one.
if you have the games recorded watch the crusaders game, bulls and I think he Highlanders.
he kicks well and links well just a bit suspect when joining defensive lines and stopping attacks short.
24 May 2006, 17:43 pm
Jake White should give Peter Hewat a call , then the Boks will get a player back , having lost Rathbone, Peter Hewat is anyways by far a better player than Rathbone !!!
24 May 2006, 22:28 pm
I’d have him in my squad that’s for sure.
He has had an outstanding season, and while a couple of games have let him down, remember he has only been playing pro rugby for a couple of years…I’d pick him just to see how much more developement there is left in him…plenty I believe
Hey but who are we to be complaining, if the Wallabies are weaker I won’t mind!
24 May 2006, 22:36 pm
Well I for one (as Bok supporter) am bloody happy that he has been omitted.
24 May 2006, 23:13 pm
hewat makes rathbone look like a good defender
24 May 2006, 23:26 pm
maybe the boks can recruit hewat, we need someone with alround ability. hewat can cover 10 through 15, thats pretty dam versatile.
mitchell i bet will want to jump ship to the force now. since most force guys are making the team. or did he already get contract at force?
who is aussie #15? rogers? gerrard? hewat is way more consistent and is back up kicking option to mortlock since gitz cant kick for ****.
25 May 2006, 00:25 am
Hewat is a bit like ou Gavin Lawless
25 May 2006, 05:17 am
Hewat is a good footballer and has a good footballing brain (all too rare in these days of “athletes” and over-programmed, bash and barge, low skilled players). But he can’t tackle, and is relatively slow. I’d still have him in the squad though.
Agree with Brumby on Mitchell – a mistake going to the Force on pure footballing terms. But I’m sure it was all about the money.
25 May 2006, 08:22 am
mitchell is class, turinui shouldnt be there
25 May 2006, 09:25 am
turinui isn’t there…
25 May 2006, 14:01 pm
latho is fullback
25 May 2006, 15:24 pm
Turunui doesn’t deserve to be anywhere except at Coogee this sat playing 1st grade for Randwick…which he is. There is NO WAY that he would make starting outside centre ahead of Mortlock. All this jibber about him being a future Captain of the Wallabies is also laughable as you can’t do it from the bench. He seems to only finish off other peoples good work, Tuqiri for example might bust 6 tackles then passes and then Turunui is there to collect the crumbs like the seagull he is.
And he reminds me of Fat Albert too…..
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