Len Ikitau was filthy when he was overlooked for the 2023 World Cup by Eddie Jones, but the Wallabies star now admits he grew from the painful experience of having his dream crushed.
“I think it just made me hungry to get back in that position,” Ikitau told reporters on Friday night via Zoom.
“Prior to that, I was playing 13 for the Wallabies every game. I think I was getting a bit too comfortable there, thinking that I’ll just play. When that didn’t happen, when they got taken away from me, it made me hungry to come back.”
That hunger has shown over the past two years and on Friday night, the 27-year-old’s stunning 12 months on the field was recognised as he became the first Wallabies centre to be awarded the prestigious John Eales Medal.
Making his marvellous 12 months on the field all the more remarkable was that it came after being shifted away from his preferred position of outside centre to accommodate the arrival of cross-code star Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii.
Len Ikitau believes being looked over for the World Cup helped make him hungry for redemption. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
And while on the surface a move one place closer to the action might not sound like a big deal, for a player who had spent his entire career wearing the No.13 jersey and built a reputation as being one of the game’s best outside centres, it certainly was.
“At first I was kind of nervous because I knew a lot of the coaches in the past would never push me to 12,” said Ikitau.
“I’ve always played at 13 or trained at 13. I kind of just said to myself, I’m truly just a 13.
“[But] I always had in the back of my mind that if I could cover 12, that would be awesome for me in terms of opportunities and other things.
“The last year has been massive in terms of growth for me, understanding the game a bit more.
“But then just playing the way that Joe wants us to play. I was kind of playing as an extra back roller in the 22 because that was kind of something that we thought worked really well. In the 22, we put a lot of pressure on teams and we just kind of wanted to keep that pressure on.
“I think it was a way of me getting into the game a lot more, which has been good.”
Len Ikitau and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii react following their dramatic and late win over England. (Photo by Andrew Matthews/PA Images via Getty Images)
If you trace back the origin of when the Wallabies turned the corner under Schmidt and won back the hearts and minds of disenchanted Australian rugby fans, Ikitau was at the epicentre of it all.
The centre’s audacious and incredible out-the-back flick pass to Max Jorgensen at Twickenham minutes into stoppage time against England saw the Wallabies snap their nine-year drought at the venue.
The match-winning play also silenced English fans months after pundits and fans ridiculed the Wallabies following a tough Rugby Championship, which saw Schmidt’s side claim just one win from six Tests and suffer embarrassing defeats to the Springboks and Pumas in Argentina.
But in one awesome move and incredible finish, the Wallabies put the world on notice on the eve of the Lions series and Schmidt’s side have been making steady progress since.
“I think that game was kind of the turning point for us,” Ikitau said.
Ikitau’s ballsy ball to Jorgensen instantly went viral and since then, the centre has made it a habit of putting away his teammates.
Indeed, in the recent Rugby Championship, Ikitau helped sink Argentina by putting Angus Bell over after a marvellous piece of manipulation as he drew in the defence with his eyes and movement before passing to his front-row partner.
He then backed it up against the All Blacks at Eden Park.
And while Ikitau doesn’t miss the cameras when he scores, the versatile midfielder says he gets more satisfaction by sending his teammates over the tryline.
“I prefer a try assist over a try, to be honest,” he said. “I’m not lying there. I think I celebrate a lot more when I set someone up, and I think it feels better than scoring a try.”
He added: “If you asked Jorgo, Jorgo wouldn’t say that – he loves scoring tries.”
But the fact that the John Eales Medal is voted by those who run out for the Wallabies shows that the playing group appreciates and values Ikitau’s role and contribution to their dramatic turnaround over the past 12 months.
How they go without him will also give another indication of his importance to the side too, with Ikitau about to debut for Exeter just days after joining the English club on a short-term contract.
His move will likely see him miss the Wallabies’ next three Tests, including next weekend’s clash against Jones’ Japan, before he likely rockets back into the mix against Ireland in late November.
“It would have been nice to play that Japan game,” Ikitau admits.
“I’m at Exeter now and I’m training for another game against Harlequins this week. That’s my full focus. I’ve just come into camp with these boys. For me, it’s about earning their trust through the way I prep and the way I play.
“As much as it would have been nice to play against Uncle Eddie, my full focus is Exeter right now.
“It’s quite different here, a lot different from the Brumbies. It’s good because I learn new things and understand the way that they want to play here. It’s been exciting for me, like a little refresher.”
Christy Doranhttps://www.theroar.com.au/2025/10/19/made-me-hungry-why-wallabys-rwc-snubbing-made-him-better-and-put-him-on-the-path-to-history/‘Made me hungry’: Why Wallaby’s RWC snubbing made him better – and put him on the path to history
Post a Comment