AUSTRALIAN captain Stirling Mortlock is adamant the door to Wallabies selection should remain shut to overseas-based players such as the code's latest prize recruit, Mark Gasnier.
Along with Australia's most successful league convert, Lote Tuqiri, Mortlock expected the former Dragons star to prosper in the 15-a-side code.
Gasnier made an instant impact on his debut for Stade Francais last Friday. Playing on the wing for the side coached by former Waratahs mentor Ewen McKenzie, he scored a try in a 32-25 win over Bourgoin.
But his two-year contract effectively rules him out of Wallabies selection during that period, as Australian Rugby Union policy is to choose only locally based players.
Mortlock said he would not like to see the ARU relax its stance on players domiciled offshore. "My thoughts on that is that we've got to do everything in our power to make sure that Australian rugby is really strong, and it starts with developing the players domestically at club level and provincial level and then trying to get as strong a Wallaby side as possible.
"To do that, I think, the mechanism that seems to be the most positive is having players chosen that are playing in Australia."
Mortlock and Tuqiri both expected Gasnier to do well in rugby, provided he was willing to put in the work on learning the nuances of the highly technical code. "He is a quality player and I've got no doubts if he keeps on working, he can go well," Mortlock said.
Tuqiri, who has accumulated 66 Test caps since moving over from rugby league, believed Gasnier had the attributes needed to succeed.
"He's a freak athlete, he's a freak player. He can beat a tackle, he can swerve, he's got a great step, he's got speed - they are all ingredients to be a good rugby player as well as a good league player," Tuqiri said. "He's just got to get used to how you train and body height and positioning and positioning on the field, and that will only take him a month or a couple to get used to it.
"He's done well with Ewen being coach. Having an English-speaking coach is probably really good and smart for him."
Mortlock said he was excited ahead of the Wallabies' forthcoming spring tour, which starts with a Bledisloe Cup clash against New Zealand in Hong Kong and ends with a match against the Barbarians at Wembley Stadium, with Tests in between against Italy, France, England and Wales.
"We would have liked to have got a result in our last match [the Tri Nations decider against New Zealand]. It wasn't to be, but I think that's probably instilled a little bit of resolve among this group to have a really positive tour," Mortlock said.
"We've got four uncapped players coming into the group. A few of the guys that weren't in the 30 for the last Test match come back in, it's very exciting. A lot of young guys are going extremely well so far this season and it's going to be a great test for them."
AAP
