Few wield the willow like Harry Wilson but even the schoolboy cricket star picked up a few tips from a surprise Wednesday net session.
Wilson, 24, swapped his red scrumcap for a helmet and pads as the Wallabies joined Australia's mens cricket outfit for a joint session in Brisbane ahead of Saturday's sell-out TRC opener against South Africa.
Now an imposing Test backrower, Wilson was once renown for his batting prowess and still holds the GPS schools record for fastest century after smacking 100 from 35 balls.
Wednesday morning's session proved he's still a deft touch with bat in hand - sending Australia's Marnus Labuschagne to the rope - though a bit of genuine pace may have tested the former St Joseph's College Gregory Terrace skipper.
"Growing up, (I) loved my cricket, always wanted to be either a cricketer or footy player so getting to face Marnus there and hit him for a few sixes, maybe getting out a few times as well was pretty cool," Wilson told media on Wednesday.
"I think my body shape suited rugby a bit more and my mobility (but) played cricket up until my first year out of school before rugby came calling."
Though the cricket dream has faded, Wilson's return to a gold jersey has been front and centre of the Queenslander's mind.
An broken arm sustained midway through Super Rugby Pacific cruelled his Reds' campaign and threatened to derail what was a standout 2024 for the number eight.
Yet Wilson's return to play came faster than anticipated with Joe Schmidt handing him a his 13th Wallabies cap against Georgia, ending an almost two-year Test absence.
"The feeling of playing against Georgia in the last test series was awesome. It's a good start and hopefully I work towards playing more Wallaby games," Wilson said.
"You always have doubts but I just tried to take the positives out of it - eight weeks to get the body right - and if the opportunity came to be ready.
There's plenty of competition, it's a position you can never feel comfortable in. There's so many good footballers and it's a good backrow battle at the moment."
Another backrow prospect is breakout Western Force flanker Carlo Tizzano, who played alongside Wilson at Australia U20 level and could slip into the #7 jersey made vacant by the injured Fraser McReight.
"Everything at training he competes in, he's very physical and he has his own way of playing as a physical number 7," Wilson said of Tizzano.
"He's out there trying to whack everyone who comes near him and he's always switched on."
The Wallabies are expected to name their team on Thursday morning.
