Former Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has unloaded on what he views as Australian rugby’s “continual problem,” butting heads with a Test great over the game’s latest hot playmaking prospect.
Tim Horan, a former Wallabies selector, took to Twitter following the Force’s 28-3 Super Rugby win over the Rebels to express his excitement with talented young five-eighth Reesjan Pasitoa.
The two-time Rugby World Cup winner said Pasitoa “has to be” in the Wallabies squad this season before expanding on his thoughts on Stan Sport.
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“I know it’s early days, and he’s only 20 years of age, but I tell you what, I reckon you’ve got to put him in the Wallabies squad,” Horan said.
“Only two rounds in, but we’re short on 10s in Australian rugby in the future.
“Get him amongst the squad, take him on the end of season tour.”
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Dual international Allana Ferguson was similarly enthused by Pasitoa, who grew up in Perth, took a rugby scholarship in Brisbane and then played for the Brumbies but struggled for regular game time.
“He’s definitely the real deal, particularly in terms of the way that rugby is played in Australia at the moment,” Ferguson said.
“It’s very exciting to see him getting some time in the saddle.
“Just the way he sees the game, and even over these last two games you can see his confidence going up throughout.
“He had a couple of really nice touches and some short balls early on in that game, but then that second half, it opened up a little bit more for him.
“Just seeing him on the screen, with a big smile on his face, he’s enjoying his football, his coach backs him, and you can see that he’s got that natural talent that will only continue to grow with the players outside him.”
Enter Cheika, Wallabies coach from 2014-19, to pour a big bucket of cold water on the excitement.
“This is the continual problem,” Cheika said.
“In all seriousness, forget about young Pasitoa, let’s have a think about Noah Lolesio, or Quade Cooper, or James O’Connor, or these guys who are in situ right now, and give them the confidence to play.
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“This lad (Pasitoa) is good – he’s got time on the ball, he’s getting the ball on the run so he’s drawing defenders even before he has the ball, you can see he’s got that ability. But let him really stamp his authority to become a top player in Super Rugby, with the Western Force.
“Then inject him into the Wallabies as a player who will make a difference from the off, instead of making him go in there and maybe struggle for a bit, and come out and earn his stripes.
“We’ve got to let players get their business done in Super Rugby, and then they can hit the ground running in the gold colours and perform from day one, because in that arena, it’s excellence every minute. There’s no respite, you’ve got to be on every second you’re in the game.”
As for Pasitoa himself, he told Stan Sport that he was happy to bide his time with his development.
“I’m getting more comfortable out there on the field, and I’m quite lucky with who I’ve got around me to make my job a bit easier,” Pasitoa said.
“At the moment I just want to keep doing my job for the Force, and kind of focus on taking every week by itself. I guess if further honours come from that, I’ll be pretty keen to go.”
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