Smart Alex Corbisiero chosen over powerful Mako Vunipola

The coach is himself a former hooker, perpetually kept out of the All Blacks by the peerless Sean Fitzpatrick, so it is safe to assume he knows what he is doing in taking Tom Youngs’ transition from centre to its ultimate conclusion at the expense of the much bigger Richard Hibbard.

Equally, Gatland prefers Tom Croft’s skill to Dan Lydiate’s hulk in the back row, and is pragmatic enough to appreciate Alex Corbisiero is a less hazardous prop option than Mako Vunipola.

The loose-head selection is one that, by contrast, cannot have been on form.

Corbisiero would have been on the tour from the start but for the long-term knee injury that prevented him playing more than two comeback games for London Irish before the squad was picked.

In his absence, Vunipola was brought Down Under to be an impact substitute behind Gethin Jenkins and Cian Healy.

But when their injuries put them off the tour, Vunipola was given his head and flourished. Gatland, however, remains to be convinced.

Vunipola’s technique has been repeatedly questioned by the Australians, most notably World Cup-winning Wallabies coach Bob Dwyer, who accused him of failing to scrummage straight during the tour matches. Tomorrow’s referee, Chris Pollock, of New Zealand, demanded higher standards in this area when he took charge of England’s first Test in Argentina than Vunipola would be likely to achieve.

So although Corbisiero came to Australia only as a replacement for Healy, having been pulled out of that Pumas Test after the Lions’ summons, he plainly represents a safer alternative. “Mako coming off the bench will give us huge impetus. That will be a big strength,” said Gatland.

“There’s no doubt Mako is very unlucky. But technically Alex is a bit sounder and at scrum time will give us an edge and perhaps form more of a front-row combination with Tom Youngs and Adam Jones.”

Vunipola felt he had done enough, but Gatland believes that through his heavyweight tight five he can exploit an area of traditional Wallaby weakness, even if they seldom live down to that stereotype these days.

Considering the knee injury Corbisiero took most of the English season to recover from was deemed by his London Irish coach Brian Smith to be career-threatening, it is a testament to the player’s powers of recovery that he is here now.

Article source: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/rugby-beattie-concern-scotland-132931201.html

Smart Alex Corbisiero chosen over powerful Mako Vunipola