World Cup year ... which players are putting their hand up for a Wallabeis wildcard selection? Source: Vincent Yu / AFP
Melbourne Rebels winger Cooper Vuna is bullocking his way into the reckoning as a World Cup year wildcard, the sort of rugby meteor that flashes into the picture with perfect timing every four years.
You only have to look as far as Wallabies team manager Rob Egerton to be a true believer that anything is possible in a World Cup year.
Egerton was 28 and a socks-down Sydney University club fullback with an attacking streak when given his break as a winger for NSW in 1991.
He rode the dream all the way to a World Cup Year triumph at Twickenham in a whirlwind Wallaby career of less than four months.
Rewind four years and it was Julian Huxley who started 2007 as a rank outsider for the World Cup yet was a worthy tourist to France.
Who do you think is in with a chance for a Wallabies wildcard? Have your say by leaving a comment at the bottom of the page.
Troy Coker (1987), a young Joe Roff (1995), John Roe (2003) and Berrick Barnes (2007) are others who had the stars align just right so they made their Test debuts at World Cups.
Wallaby coach Robbie Deans has made it harder than ever to pinpoint potential wildcard selections for 2011 because he studied so many himself in 2010 when more than 40 players were used in Test sides or the midweek games on last year's European tour.
Look how far full-blooded power and a big motor took Ben McCalman as 2010's Test bolter because he started the year on the bench for the Western Force.
Here are the wildcards to have flashed onto Deans' radar during the early weeks of Super Rugby:
Cooper Vuna (Rebels): Has rough edges but his confidence to beat a man on the outside or simply run over him has been a feature. Has an appealing try-flavour.
Nick Phipps (Rebels): Halfback with a sharp running game and pass. Deans made him his bolter on last year's Wallaby tour after watching him at the Commonwealth Games sevens.
Rod Davies (Reds): Deans loves pure, brakes-off finishing speed and Davies has it. The try he scored against the Cheetahs when he used his pace to shrug off three defenders, operating in just 2m of space on the touchline, was Test class.
Luke Morahan (Reds): Two Wallaby tours and still only 20. If he takes this month's chances in the Reds starting line-up, 2011 could be anything for the strapping finisher.
Pat McCabe (Brumbies): Runs hard and straight all day. His versatility as a fullback-winger is a big plus. Played first Test minutes off the bench against Italy last November so Deans has an eye on him.
Nick Cummins (Force): Looks like he should be on guitar in a Kiss revival band with that big hair. An improver on wing who wants to play with the aggression of an African honey badger (his words).
Dan Vickerman (mid-year Waratahs): The former top Test lock played four games for English club Northampton in February and has to stay in nick for his June return for Waratahs. Tough 2.03m locks don't grow on trees.
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