conversions

Timana Tahu is getting his first run at being a Wallaby since converting from league this year.

He is a member of the 30 man squad but whether that will translate to selection is a different story.

Personally I remain unconvinced by conversions from league. It seems to me that the biggest problem league players have is working in a game that has unlimited phases of play. Admittedly Lote Tuquiri has done well but then he plays on the wing and generally speaking is required to do little more than catch the ball and run.

Tahu on the other hand has been playing in the centres for Australia A a position that asks a lot more of a player. Centres need both strong defensive and attacking skills, they need a brain for the game to create opportunity and to link with the forwards and the backline. While Tahu may have "starred" for Australia A, we are tlaking about a side who's most serious competition was NZ Maori, and who lost that game.

It remains to be seen whether Tahu can fulfil his apparent promise in the 15 a side game.

I would like to see Australian Rugby commit to spending more time developing the talent they have then recruiting converts from league. It is an indictment of the code that a player can spend less than a year in the game and be selected in the Wallabies squad, elite sportsman or no. It seems that there should be more competition for selection and players should have to earn their stripes to play at that level, certainly by doing more than competing in pastings of Tonga and Fiji.

The Wallabies themselves have hardly been tested and the impact of Kiwi Robbie Deans will not be truly felt or seen until the Wallabies play their first tri-nations match. A win against a mediocre French side is not an accurate test of a rugby team, even if it does set a record.