Waratahs consider moving Folau to centre

Waratahs and Wallabies fullback Israel Folau could be moved to the centres by the Sydney Super Rugby team’s new coach Daryl Gibson.

Gibson was assistant coach under Michael Cheika and has now stepped up as head coach with some new ideas on how the Waratahs will play.

Folau was Super Rugby’s joint top tryscorer in 2014 whilst playing at fullback but opposition teams have started to work out how to nullify his attacks to some degree.

Gibson has revealed that he is considering playing Folau at 15 and the Wallaby fullback’s former team-mate Stephen Hoiles told SportsFan’s Clubhouse that he thinks moving Folau is exactly the sort of challenge that would suit Folau.

“It would have been done already had Adam Ashley-Cooper not been at the Waratahs and at the Wallabies,” said Hoiles.

“In a lot of the recent Wallaby Test matches, Israel was getting shut out of games because sides just decided not to kick to him.

“Israel is the type of player that just needs the ball as often as possible and it doesn’t really matter if that is at fullback or centre, because he is really good in tight positions and playing in the midfield will also allow him to learn the breakdown a little bit more.”

Hoiles added that if Folau was moved to fullback it would allow Kurtley Beale to return to his favoured position of fullback.

Gibson has however suggested that new NRL recruit Reece Robinson could also be played at fullback.