Bell the back-rower? Wallaby says prop could make radical positional switch if toe doesn’t get better
By Tom Decent
Waratahs prop Angus Bell is set to be ruled out for the remainder of the Super Rugby Pacific season and could make a radical transition to another position in the forward pack if required.
That’s the view of Waratahs and Wallabies forward Jed Holloway, who believes Bell has the physical prowess to become a “world-class” back-rower if a recurring toe injury prevents him from scrummaging properly in the future.
Bell left the field midway through the first half of the Waratahs’ 40-16 loss to the Brumbies in Canberra on Saturday after re-injuring the same toe that kept him out for the majority of last year’s Super Rugby season.
It is the third time Bell has suffered the injury.
Although there is no official timeline on Bell’s return, the Waratahs say he won’t play again for them this season.
Bell will see a specialist in Brisbane on Wednesday for advice on potential foot surgery to hopefully eliminate the problem and try to get back in time for Wallabies Tests later this year.
Waratahs and Wallabies prop Angus Bell.Credit: Getty
While the Waratahs say it is too early to understand what the injury means for Bell in the long term, former Wallabies back-rower Stephen Hoiles has questioned whether a positional change could be on the cards for the rising star of Australian rugby if he can’t perform front-row duties.
“I heard a bit of talk that they have to go and have a look at how they fix this toe long-term,” Hoiles said on Stan Sport’s Between Two Posts program. “He puts a lot of pressure on the injury he has got [from] scrummaging. Is there a thought process that he might not be able to play prop? He’s good enough to play other positions. That is something that is going to need to be considered now.
“I’m not speaking out of school here. This is his third time he’s injured that same toe. He’s gone and had part of it removed the second time around. They’ve removed a part of the body so he doesn’t have the injury that occurred on the weekend. It’s quite an unusual one.”
There have been no discussions with Bell about a position switch. The Waratahs are only concerned about his welfare at the moment.
Waratahs prop Angus Bell after picking up a foot injury against the Brumbies in Canberra on Saturday evening.Credit: Stan Sport
It is extremely rare for a front-rower to switch to another position on the field, given their body type, but Holloway, who has floated between the second row and back row, believes Bell could do a job there if his toe prevented him from scrummaging.
“If that was a worst-case scenario and that was something he was weighing up, he’d be a world-class back-rower,” Holloway said.
“He could even jump into the second row. He’d probably need to lose about 10 kilos, but he’s got the body shape for it. It might make him look a little bit better, which he’d probably love.
“I know how much he loves scrums, so he’d probably be the first one to tell you to stick it somewhere. You could put him on the wing. He runs faster than half our backs anyway. Scrumming doesn’t define how good he is as a rugby player. He’s super talented.
“It’s tough for Gus. He’s had a rough trot with that foot. He’s in seeing the specialists but he’s a massive part of our team. We definitely feel for him.”
The Waratahs face the Crusaders on Friday night in Sydney and are looking to break a five-game losing streak to keep their finals hopes alive.
“Losing so many games on the trot does eat away at you,” Holloway said. “There is no getting away from that. It’s something you have to embrace.”
Sports news, results and expert commentary. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.
Watch all the action from the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season, with every match ad-free, live and on demand on Stan Sport.