Cam Crawford will make his Waratahs debut in front of a home crowd against the Chiefs tonight

by Brendan Bradford –

Taking on the defending champion Chiefs could be seen as a daunting task, but Waratahs winger Cam Crawford is just eager to get onto the pitch and make his Waratahs debut in the Round 10 clash at Allianz Stadium. Having made a brief appearance for the Brumbies against the Force last season, it will be Crawford’s second Super Rugby match, but his first wearing the jersey of the team he’d grown up supporting.

“I’m absolutely pumped to have tomorrow come as soon as possible really,” the 24-year-old Northern Suburbs player said on Thursday.

“I’m sure I’ll be nervous before kick-off, but right now I’m just really excited that it’s finally here and I’ve been given a chance to play.”

A versatile player who can cover virtually any backline position, Crawford’s solid Shute Shield form – he finished the 2010 and 2011 seasons as the competition’s third-top try scorer – earned him a stint at the Brumbies before he moved back to Sydney and the Waratahs towards the end of last year.

Crawford made a name for himself at Norths where he was the Shute Shield’s third top try-scorer in 2010 and 2011 – Photo: seiserphotography.com

With a big off-season under his belt, a few months impressing the coaching staff at training and two impressive performances for the Shoremen in the opening two rounds of club rugby, Crawford’s selection on the wing is a timely reward for a lot of hard work.

“It’s been a few years coming, but I suppose the real hard work starts now and it’s an opportunity I have to take,” the towering back says.

“I’m happy to be in the starting 15 in the first place, it’s not easy to crack and I’ve been told I was close a couple of times already. I’m very comfortable with being on the wing, I’ve got all my knowledge down for what I’m meant to do and I just can’t wait to get out there.”

While he hasn’t been given any specific instructions by coach Michael Cheika yet, Crawford says he’s well versed in the role of a winger and is trying to treat this game as he would any other.

“I just need to do the basics right when I get the ball and make sure I’m a threat in attack. Hopefully I can finish off a few good moves out wide and just work hard off the ball,” he explains.

One of six players in the extended Waratahs side who played Shute Shield last weekend, Crawford is also among the first to promote the value of the third tier competition.

“The Shute Shield is a good standard and it says a lot about the competition that those guys played for their clubs last week and the Waratahs this week. There’s definitely some good intensity because you’re running around against professional players and guys looking to become professional – just look at Jordan Smiler (Brumbies) and Rory Walton (Force),” he says of his Norths teammates who made their Super Rugby debuts last week.

“It was really awesome to see Rory get out there and shed a tear or two after the game, the passionate dude that he is.”

Assigned to mark lightning back Asaeli Tikoirotuma on Friday, Crawford says the whole Chiefs side is packed with danger.

“They’re deadly off turnovers and have the ability to work hard off the ball, work well up the middle and use their backs out wide. They’re the full package and we’ve prepared around reducing our turnovers and reacting a bit quicker than we have been if we do turn it over.”

The match kicks off at Allianz Stadium at 7:40, Friday April 19.

WARATAHS –

1. Benn Robinson 2. Tatafu Polota-Nau 3. Sekope Kepu 4. Sitaleki Timani 5. Kane Douglas 6. Dave Dennis (c) 7. Michael Hooper 8. Wycliff Palu 9. Brendan McKibbin 10. Bernard Foley 11. Drew Mitchell 12. Rob Horne 13. Adam Ashley-Cooper 14. Cam Crawford 15. Israel Folau
Replacements – John Ulugia, Paddy Ryan, Mitchell Chapman, Will Skelton, Pat McCutcheon, Matt Lucas, Ben Volavola, Peter Betham.

CHIEFS –

1. Pauliasi Manu 2.  Hika Elliot 3. Ben Tameifuna 4. Michael Fitzgerald 5. Brodie Retallick 6. Liam Messam (c) 7. Sam Cane 8. Fritz Lee 9. Brendon Leonard 10. Aaron Cruden 11. Asaeli Tikoirotuma 12. Richard Kahui 13. Charlie Ngatai 14. Lelia Masaga 15. Andrew Horrell

Replacements – 16. Rhys Marshall 17. Michael Kainga 18. Nick Crosswell 19. Tanerau Latimer 20. August Pulu 21. Gareth Anscombe 22. Tim Nanai-Williams