Rugby: Cheika says Folau has untapped potential as fullback

Israel Folau. File photo / Getty Images

Wallabies and Waratahs coach Michael Cheika must be confident Israel Folau will stay in rugby beyond 2015, declaring he is unlikely to experiment much with him at centre until next year.

Folau has won a swag of local, national and international awards for his dashing play from fullback in his first two years in the 15-a-side code.

While there was talk of Folau playing at centre from his earliest days with the Waratahs, he has been used almost exclusively at fullback.

Folau's first five test caps under former Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie were earned as a wing, but the last 24 were all at fullback.

Talk of Folau getting a run in the No 13 jersey has resurfaced this year, however Cheika has no immediate plan to shift his major backline strike weapon into the midfield, as he feels he can still improve as a fullback.

"We've spoken about it [playing centre] since day one when he got recruited," Cheika said.

"But I still feel around some of the positional parts of the game, he's still got potential to fill at fullback.

"You never know, we might give him a run there [at centre], you don't know.

"But I'd say this year I'm going to focus on him playing 15 and next year perhaps making that transition into the centres."

Folau's contract expires at the end of this year and last week he said he had a lot of options.

Returning to rugby league is one of them, though union officials are hoping the possibility of him making the Australian sevens team for the 2016 Olympics might keep him in their code.

Prolific tryscorer Folau is sure to be one of the Waratahs' main weapons in the first match of their Super Rugby title defence at home to Western Force next Sunday.

- AAP