Twice the trouble in the No 7

By WYNNE GRAY

On a trip to New Zealand, Phil Waugh visited a pub near Whangarei with his uncle and former Maori All Black loose forward Laly Haddon.

Haddon warned he had not been at the pub for ages but Waugh recalls the pair had barely got inside the door when everyone was coming over to greet them.

"I reckon they bought us beers for most of the night so give him a bit of niggle when you see him," Waugh said.

The Wallaby flanker will not be catching up with his uncle tomorrow in Sydney, he stayed behind on his farm near Pakiri Beach but did send a good luck message to his nephew.

"Usually he comes over for the Bledisloe Cup but not this time, though he expects an All Black win."

Waugh was born in Sydney and his New Zealand mother's sister married Haddon to create the neat transtasman connection.

Tomorrow Waugh steps out in his traditional No 7 jersey for the Wallabies, a selection which has pushed another opensider George Smith into the blindside role.

It is a gamble by coach Eddie Jones who is expecting a very mobile, high-paced test with referee Tony Spreadbury being particular about infringements at the tackle ball area.

Back in 2000 in New Zealand, Waugh and Smith played in the same formation in the international Colts tournament and the pair have repeated that experiment in a couple of Wallabies matches against the Barbarians.

"As a seven I know what I am doing and as long as we work well together it should help our plans," he said.

"Naturally we will be trying to disrupt as much of their ball as we can."

Jones dismissed suggestions the instincts of Waugh and Smith would clutter the Wallabies' formation.

Former Wallaby Jeff Miller questioned the decision, recalling when he and Simon Poidevin played in tandem they often used to get in each other's road.

"In those days all eight forwards went for the ball," Jones said.

"They are different roles. You expect on the second phase the openside to be contesting the ball and it would be an absolute miracle if you had your blindside flanker contesting the ball at second phase."

Waugh weighs in at 99kg and was amazed when he met Miller who revealed his top playing weight was 87kg.

"I dunno how you would go out at that," he said, "because these days you have to be fast but also carry a bit of weight. It is a fine balance for me keeping the weight on and holding the speed and fitness."

A knockabout bloke from the Northern Beaches region of Sydney, Waugh always played rugby and tried to take in the big matches.

"About 1993, as a young bloke I was picked as a ballboy for the Bledisloe Cup at the Sydney Football Stadium. And mate, we won."

He still lives in the same area and is living out his sporting dream.

Jones suggested that as Waugh and Smith were both less than six foot tall the stereotype was that they played similar styles.

Waugh was the much more traditional forager who hunted the tackle area on attack and defence while Smith at 103kg was a loose forward like Richie McCaw, Richard Hill or Joe van Niekerk who could adjust to any role in the loose trio.

The positional switches for tomorrow were a reflection of trying to improve the Wallabies, he said.

"We definitely need a No 6 who can fill the void between seven and eight. We need our six to make decisions on when to play at the ball and when to play off the ball."

Waugh constantly practices staying on his feet at contact training but said he can adjust his game if referees allow some leniency.

"It is all about sussing out the referee in the game and if he varies, all they all do, we have to go with that."