Former Kangaroos playmaker Braith Anasta believes Daly Cherry-Evans may have played his last game for Australia.
Manly veteran Cherry-Evans is locked in a heated battle with Penrith gun Nathan Cleary for the Kangaroos No. 7 jersey.
Cherry-Evans was given first crack at the World Cup and played in their opener against Fiji, while Cleary will make his Test debut against Scotland on Saturday.
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But Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga, who was Cherry-Evans’ Queensland coach between 2013-15, has given no indication of which way he’s leaning for the knockout stages.
Experts Anasta, Corey Parker and Greg Alexander – who all played for Australia – debated the issue on Fox League.
“All the talk in the lead up was who is going to wear the No.7 jersey and DCE got the first opportunity and Cleary gets this one,” Parker said.
“It will be interesting to see… let’s assume Australia go on and play well, and Cleary stars as he normally does, will DCE play again?”
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“This is the next phase for Cleary, his first Test match for Australia. A chance for him to create his own destiny and legacy,” Anasta responded.
“He’s already done that for Penrith. Now for Australia, it’s a big opportunity for him.”
New South Wales selector Alexander said it was inevitable Cleary would soon surpass Cherry-Evans and emphasised the only question is when.
“He’s cemented the Blues No. 7 and I think with Daly at age 32 or 33, it’s only a matter of time,” Alexander said.
“Will it be on this tour? I think most of us think that it should be but Mal is keeping his cards close to his chest, he’s not saying anything and it’s almost a trial situation.
“I don’t know what you tell from a trial if they put 80 on Scotland, which is a big chance.”
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Anasta believes if Australia are clinical against the Scots then Cherry-Evans’ international career could be over.
“If that happens they just stick, right? It’s Cleary and (Cameron) Munster all the way through you would think. So it could be that DCE has played his last game,” Anasta said.
Parker and Alexander agreed that very well could be the case.
“It’s only a matter of time and the time in my opinion is now,” Parker responded.
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