“It hurts, you always want to be apart of it. But I think I was pretty quick to take a holistic view of the situation.”
When you have been asked to play every position in a Wallabies back line except halfback, you become good at dealing with curveballs. Hodge just applied the same attitude: keep working, be ready.
Harry Wilson and Reece Hodge at training after recalls to the Wallabies side.Credit:Getty
“It is something that Quade has also talked about a lot in the last 12 to 18 months: focus on the process. It is a bit of a cliche but it comes back to that ‘be ready’ kind of thing,” Hodge said.
“It wasn’t a down-in-the-dumps moment where you think it’s all over. I have been around long enough now to know it is never as good as it seems and it is never as bad as it seems. That’s the attitude you need to take in professional rugby.”
Soon enough Hodge was called back into the Wallabies squad via injuries, replacing Tom Banks and then Andrew Kellaway. He started the third Test against England at fullback and his versatility gave Rennie scope to name a 6-2 bench for the first time in Mendoza. Australia’s bench forwards, it must also be noted, secured the win.
Reece Hodge in the clear against England at the SCG.Credit:Getty
Hodge is one of three options to replace Cooper in the second Test but, in all likelihood, Rennie will keep Hodge up his sleeve as the perfect bench cover.
Some players have hated the utility tag but others, like 121-Test Mr Fix-It Adam Ashley-Cooper came to enjoy it. In truth, it is a specialty all of it own and not many players are good enough to competently play four different roles in four weeks of Test rugby.
“It is up to the coaches and as I have said previously, I am happy to play anywhere,” Hodge said.
“And I don’t just say it for the sake of it. It is a position I don’t take lightly, that the coaches have trust in me and my knowledge and detail that I can cover 10 to 15.
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“I take a lot of pride in that but I need to also make sure I am prepared for any role. Who knows what this week holds but to be part of the match-day squad anywhere would be a privilege, as always.”
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