Sekope Kepu: “I just can’t believe that you left out Sheridan!”
But, whoever the Wallabies front row face, they are determined to prove they are no pushovers.
There was the famous occasion in 2005 at Twickenham when Sheridan simply ran out of Australian props to destroy while two years later at the World Cup, the loosehead more or less single-handedly sent the Wallabies packing at the quarter-final stage.
Kepu said: “He has got a massive reputation in the Southern Hemisphere from what he has done before so I guess most people expected him to be playing.”
Despite a succession of injuries in recent years, Sheridan, 33, has rediscovered that sort of destructive form in France for Top 14 leaders Toulon.
Which is exactly why Stuart Lancaster refuses to select him, as the coach sticks to the policy of not calling up French-based players.
England’s loss is Australia’s gain although after Wales’ formidable scrum was tamed in the summer, Kepu told The Rugby Paper that a trip to Twickenham no longer generates the sense of foreboding it once did.
He said: “England have established themselves as one of world’s biggest scrummaging teams and we know what has happened the previous times we came over.
“But that’s all part of history and it’s up to us, as a fresh bunch of players, to make our own history against them.
“They are definitely one of the top scrums but they don’t intimidate us. It’ll be a tough challenge but there’s no better place to right a few wrongs than at Twickenham.
“All coaches have different options and permutations but we were surprised Sheridan was not involved.
“We’ve been watching the Top 14 rugby and he has been playing superbly and scrummaging very well.
“He is a big, strong man and if England haven’t selected him then they must have some good props.”
Eight months out from the start of the Lions series, Kepu admits that the autumn internationals carry extra significance.
Even without several frontline players, Australia face an extra challenge of dealing with the new scrum laws for the first time – although Kepu is not about to make excuses.
“Putting a marker down before the Lions tour is exactly what we want to do,” added Kepu. “The ultimate goal as a country is to win every game and if we can do that then that will give us a lot of confidence going into the summer break.
“It’s not going to be easy. The scrum is a big part of England and Wales’ games and we’re aware of how forward-orientated it is up here.
“Wales have got a lot of recent history with us from the previous series and we know they’ll be raring to put one over us. With the new laws that have come in we will find that a test but one we will be ready for.”
While Kepu has never played at Twickenham, his last experience of stepping foot on English soil was an unhappy one when he tore his pectoral muscle in a farcical match against the Barbarians at Wembley.
A knee injury also limited his appearances in the Rugby Championship but now, fully fit, the 26-year-old is set to pack down at tighthead against England.
Prior to that Kepu was a loosehead and before that a No.8 who was converted to the front row while on a tour of South Africa with New Zealand U19s.
He then became one of Wallabies coach Robbie Deans’ ‘special projects’. He added: “I was born in Australia but grew up in New Zealand and all my schooling was there.
“I played for New Zealand U19 and I was hoping to be a No.8. After a trial match, one of the coaches said to me we have a vacancy at loosehead so we are going to play you there.
“I was just happy to take any chance that came my way although, at first, I tried to sneak back to No.8.
“It has been a massive learning curve. I had some great coaches in both the Waratahs, including Michael Foley, and the Wallabies set-ups who have helped me along the way, especially with switching to tighthead.
“Now I’m so proud of being a prop forward.
“I will be coming up against some of the best props in the world and I’m excited by that.”
DANIEL SCHOFIELD
