DCE, Cleary to fight out Kangaroos halfback battle like Stuart and Langer

Daly Cherry-Evans admits his World Cup battle with Nathan Cleary for the Kangaroos No.7 jersey could be likened to the great 1990s rivalry between Ricky Stuart and Allan Langer, but the Manly playmaker insists he is looking forward to working with his Penrith counterpart.

The competition between Cherry-Evans and Cleary to play halfback for Australia in the sudden-death matches of the tournament is going to be one of the most intriguing stories of the World Cup and the Queensland Origin captain doesn’t intend to surrender the position without a fight.

Cherry-Evans is the oldest and most experienced member of the 24-man Kangaroos squad, with 15 Test appearances since 2011, and as the only player to have previously represented Australia in England he is set to play an influential role on and off the field.

“Make no mistake, my priority is to be in the team, but if I am not I am still going to try and help this team win,” Cherry-Evans said. “I want Australia to be at the top.

“I have always thought playing for Australia is the most prestigious honour you can have in rugby league. That was always the feeling when I came through as a kid and when I got the opportunity to play it felt like that.

“I still hold it in the highest regard, so I love seeing Australia win and I want to be a big part of that again this year.”

The 33-year made his Test debut during the 2011 Four Nations in England and was a member of Australia’s 2013 World Cup winning team but missed selection in the squad for the 2017 tournament.

After regaining the Kangaroos No.7 jersey for the 2018 and 2019 Tests against New Zealand and Tonga, Cherry-Evans’ position is now under threat from Cleary after the Penrith halfback led his side to back-to-back grand final wins last Sunday against Parramatta.

“That has always been the quality of Australia, you have to earn your spot and you have to fight for it,” Cherry-Evans said. “You don’t keep your spot, you keep earning your spot and you have got to keep working hard for it.

“I have had my eye on this World Cup for two years, like most people, so when it got cancelled [12 months ago] the suspense has obviously built and I am not getting any younger so I know how important this World Cup is to me. It could very well be my last opportunity.

“I know the feeling of how special it is after winning in 2013 but I missed 2017 and, while I was still happy that Australia won, it was still hard watching from the couch, so I want to be involved in this one and help keep Australia at the top.”

Asked if his rivalry with Cleary could be compared to the battle between Langer and Stuart on the 1990 and 1994 Kangaroo tours, Cherry-Evans said: “Australia was at the top of their game when you had these rivalries. It has always been there and that is what makes Australia so good”.

“Even when I was in the team as a young bloke Coops [Cooper Cronk] was trying to get Johnathan Thurston’s spot. This time it is Nathan and myself battling for the halfback spot, so that is great.”

The rivalry has already cost Cherry-Evans the captaincy after he had been the vice-captain to Boyd Cordner in 2019.

James Tedesco will lead the Kangaroos, with Rabbitohs skipper Cameron Murray and Panthers co-captain Isaah Yeo to act as his deputies.

“Teddy is going to be the fullback, there is no doubt about that, and he is going to be the one constant in this team, whereas the reality is that the halfback spot is up for grabs so I completely understand what has happened here,” Cherry-Evans said.

“To be fair, it is has also set Australia up for the future, with Cam and Isaah involved as well, but I don’t have to be a captain to still have an impact on us winning.

“Both on and off the field I am hoping I can be someone for them to lean on if they need but I certainly won’t be getting in the way of their leadership styles. I will be encouraging them to be themselves.

“I am the old fellow in the team now, and I am not going over there feeling uncomfortable about that. I am really looking forward to helping the team on and off the field because having been over a couple of times I do understand what it is like over there and it is different.

“I feel like I have definitely got a bit of experience in that area and both on and off the field I am hoping I can really have an impact on this side.”

Cleary is one of 13 Test newcomers in the Australian squad, while Cherry-Evans has another advantage over the Penrith playmaker in that he plays with five-eighth Cameron Munster and hookers Ben Hunt and Harry Grant at Origin level.

However, Cherry-Evans believes the pair can help each other to perform to their best at the World Cup and he is keen to work with Cleary.

“He is at the top of his game, when it comes to winning back-to-back premierships and I am looking forward to learning off him,” Cherry-Evans said.

“I am looking forward to understanding how he has been able to perform so well over those past couple of years and maybe he might learn something off me as well.

“I am looking forward to having a relationship with Nathan. I know it is going to be built up that it is not going to be friendly – that it is a rivalry or a feud or whatever – but it won’t be that. I can guarantee you that.

“The people we both are I don’t think that is ever going to be the case. We know what is at stake but we won’t let it get in the way.”