Tom Horton mightn't be the biggest of Super Rugby hookers but he will hit you like a "freight train". according to teammate Tom Robertson.
Horton has been named for his starting debut this weekend and will go head-to-head with former Sydney Uni teammate and Brumby Folau Fainga'a.
His publicly listed weight is just 97kg, though Robertson estimated a little higher, and said Horton made opponents feel every kilo.
"He’s only 105kg or something but he hits like a freight train," Robertson said.
"I’ve certainly been winded by him a few times at training before.
"He’s the type of guy you want in your team.
"He’s not going to take a backward step and he’s definitely got fire in the belly that’s for sure.
"Putting a guy like that in his first starting game vs the Brumbies is a pretty good move - there's no lack of fire in the belly for Tommy Horton, I’m extremely confident in him."
Fainga'a's will be a familiar face staring back at him after playing a number of seasons of club rugby together as well.
Robertson played alongside the pair in the 2016 Shute Shield season as well and said Horton would certainly have picked up some things from Fainga'a, who has gone on to become a Wallaby regular.
"They know each other’s games pretty well and 'Horto' definitely knows how Folau plays and he’s definitely taken a few leafs out of Folau’s book but he’s definitely his own player – extremely fit ,very fast and I’m excited to see how he goes.
Robertson will pack down on the loosehead side in his first match since March after battling a frustrating back problem.
"It was a bit of a funny one, there was no stress fracture, wasn’t a lot on the scan," he said.
"It was a bit of inflammation around the facet Joint, L4, L5 I think it was and a bit of disc degeneration but they didn’t really know if it was one or the other or a combination of the two.
"I had an injection to try and get a bit better, it didn’t really seem to work...There was obviously a few things that popped up but they didn’t really know what was the cause but they just thought steady as she goes, try and reload it and that’s pretty much how I got back.
"It’s a pretty frustrating one because they didn’t really know how to fix it or didn’t really know what was wrong so you don’t really know how to fix it so it kind of makes things a bit more difficult.
"Whereas with the injuries I’ve had in the past it’s been you’ve got a ligament, you’ve snapped a ligament, you put it back in and then you rehab and come back."
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Robertson missed the final two matches of Super Rugby this season with the issue and was on the verge of returning when the season was shut down.
The lack of contact training during the COVID-19 shutdown and even in the early stages of players' club returns pushed his first match back to this weekend.
Having had the chance to slowly work his way back into full contact training has been a blessing, he said, with the Waratahs not rushing him back to play.
"A few weeks ago, I would’ve had doubts but the last two or three weeks, I‘ve built my confidence back up and I’m good to go," he said.
"That’s a credit to the staff here, they didn’t push me back for rounds one or two because I probably would’ve had a few doubts going into that game but now going into round three, I‘m 100 per cent confident and ready to rip in and play 80 minutes if I need to."
The next few weeks could be defining for Robertson on and off the field, with uncertainty still surrounding his future beyond 2020.
The 25-year-old has been linked with a move overseas, including to the US Major League Rugby competition, but he said he was still considering his next move in the midst of an uncertain climate.
Super Rugby teams are currently in a contracting freeze and players are on 30 per cent pay cuts until September 30.
"I haven’t locked in anything for next year," he said.
"I’m off contract at the end of this year but with COVID there’s been a moratorium on signing from the Waratahs and Rugby Australia.
"I’m considering all my options – it’s a bit of a stressful time for everyone, not just people playing rugby, so you’ve got to weigh up your options and see where the chips fall because there’s not a lot of security in rugby, not that here ever is.
"The last deal I signed was a three-year contract so it’s been a bit stressful sort of six months out from when your contract’s up not knowing what you’re doing next year but at the same time I’m not too stressed about it.
"It’ll be fine at the end of the day just at this stage, that doubt about where you’ll be next year and everything like that but in saying that, I’d love to stay."
The Waratahs will play the Brumbies at ANZ Stadium on Saturday July 18, kicking off at 7:15pm AEST, LIVE on Foxtel, Foxtel Now and Kayo Sports. Buy a Kayo subscription here. Buy tickets here.
