It happened, if memory serves, in the lead-up to a Wallabies Test against Wales in Cardiff in 2005, a training drill that quickly evolved into a contest to run at speed and throw a 25m left-to-right cutout pass to a targeted player.
All of the backs lined up to give it a go. But as the drill unfolded and players were given multiple chances to hit the target — often missing comically — it soon became clear there was a standout winner. No one could hold a candle to five-eighth Stephen Larkham. It was all so effortless. He scarcely seemed to break stride.
Since then, only one player has come through the Australian system who could do what Larkham did. Quade Cooper. Like Larkham, it almost seemed Cooper could throw passes that forced the catcher to run a line that would take them perfectly through a hole.
There are times when rugby can bore me to tears — watching teams scoring driving maul tries while running blockers ahead of the ball can do that — but this skill restores the magic. (For a lesser but still memorable “hit”, observe Brumbies half Nic White’s left-to-right passes from the ruck which virtually compel the ball-runner to be at a full gallop when they receive it.)
But perhaps now we may be about to witness the unveiling of another master craftsman. Certainly, there was tantalising evidence on Sunday that Melbourne Rebels five-eighth Carter Gordon is teetering on the edge of joining Larkham and Cooper, at least as far as this one specific skill is concerned.
The first sign came in the 22nd minute as Brumbies’ power runner Rob Valetini was stripped of the ball, with a quick interchange of Rebels passes moving it out to Gordon. He decisively took it forward before throwing an arched pass out to winger Lachie Anderson. A flat pass would not have worked because Brumbies flyer Corey Toole was lurking out wide and just itching for an intercept. But Gordon’s pass was perfect and provided Anderson with just enough time to get the ball down in the corner.
Quade Cooper appears in the box seat to be Wallabies No.10, with his passing game something unseen since Stephen Larkham. Until now.Credit: Getty
The second sign, coming midway through the second half, was even more compelling. Even as the Rebels were digging themselves a hole which would ultimately cost them the game — attacking the Brumbies without subtlety and on at least five occasions being held up over the line — Gordon fell in outside halfback Ryan Louwrens and demanded the ball.
He had only two runners in support, fullback Andrew Kellaway and Anderson. The Brumbies had three defenders, centre Len Ikitau, Toole and fullback Tom Wright. It should not have been a try but somehow Gordon conjured one.
As Kellaway straightened, Wright, the outside defender, moved off the wing to tackle him. Ikitau, guarding against Gordon going alone, was by this stage out of the play but Toole — his sevens instincts on high alert — sensed the danger and moved behind Wright to cover Anderson.
Too late. Gordon had rocketed the ball across the chests of the two remaining defenders and straight into the arms of Anderson who crossed untouched. “Oh, that is a seed,” exclaimed Stan commentator Sean Maloney.
Gordon’s left-to-right passing, indeed, his slick passing in general, helped to ensure he finished in front of Noah Lolesio in what is rapidly developing into a personal battle for Wallabies selection at No.10.
Lolesio scored two tries, bursting onto well-timed passes from halfback White and Wright, and he finally showed some passion after years of keeping his emotions in check but, looking on, Wallabies coach Eddie Jones would have been acutely aware the Brumbies playmaker scored from dominant ball carries.
As pluckily as the Rebels pack played, Gordon still had to work hard to get his team on the front foot. He showed courage taking the ball to the line, just as he showed courage in defence. Both were areas of genuine concern less than 12 months ago.
Moreover, he showed an appreciation of when to join the breakdown and what to do when he gets there. As the Brumbies were pouring through in the first half, he came to Kellaway’s aid by sealing off a ruck and then raced back to his own in-goal to be in position to clear the ball into touch.
Carter Gordon has moved ahead of Noah Lolesio in the Wallabies’ pecking order, if not Quade Cooper as well.Credit: Getty
It’s work of that order that will have him ranked not just ahead of Lolesio for the five Tests prior to the World Cup but possibly even Cooper himself.
Over in Japan, Cooper made his long-awaited return to the Hanazono Kintetsu Liners on the weekend and steered his side to a 36-14 victory over the previously unbeaten Urayasu D-Rocks. It was his first match since rupturing his Achilles in August and, together with long-time halves partner Will Genia, he ensured the Liners dominated field position.
Jones has already revealed, perhaps unintentionally, perhaps not, that Cooper is his preferred playmaker, but it must come as a huge relief that Gordon has stepped forward from the ranks of possible contenders to present himself as a genuine, if uncapped, alternative.
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