Wallabies legend Tim Horan previews the two rugby stars crossing over to the NRL 05:51

There's another big sporting code on tonight, as I drop my pen. It is the Wallabies taking on Wales. Their first hit out, of course, under Joe Schmidt, their new coach. But I also wanted to check in with Tim Hoare and the former Wallaby to talk about this, but also some of these rugby players who are going to make the switch from rugby union to rugby league because we don't know a lot about Mark Nwangani-Tawasi and we don't know a lot about Carter Gordon. Anyway, Tim Hoare and the former Wallabies on the line. Hey, Tim.

G'day, Mark. G'day, boys. Yeah, quite excited about tonight. Since we spoke, I reckon Rugby World Cup was a bit of a scar on people who follow the game of rugby and hopefully tonight's a bit of a new era under Joe Smith, as you mentioned. Yeah, definitely. Well, you're hearing all the right things out of

Joe Schmidt and the Wallaby set up. I was lucky enough to interview the new captain on the breakfast program yesterday. He seems like a terrific fella and even he conceded a bit of a rebuilding phase for Australian rugby and an opportunity for these young faces, in particular the debutants, to really make a name for themselves and showcase their skills tonight at Allianz Stadia.

Yeah, it's exciting for the game. And two games against Wales, of course, tonight and then next week in Melbourne. And then we come back to Sydney to play Georgia. So I reckon he's going to use this block of three test matches, Joe Smith, to just tinker with the Wallaby team, find out who can stand up.

Liam Wright, the captain at the moment, he might do a couple of games as captain, then against Georgia might be a different captain. I reckon, Mark, by the time we get to August the 10th up in Brisbane where we play the world champion Springboks, then he's going to say, OK, this is the team I want to take us forward to the British Irish Lions and then, of course, the Rugby World Cup a couple of years after that, but

Yeah, some good debuts. Josh Blucher, centre, who's making his debut tonight as well. And, of course, Michael Leiner's son, the former fly half for the Wallabies, played 72 test matches back in minor. His son, Tom Leiner, will come off the bench tonight and play his first game, which is exciting.

Yeah, great little story there. Look, you've been around the game a lot longer than us, you know, and you've spent your life in Rugby Union, you've represented Australia. You can give us a view of the new set-up under Joe Schmidt. I mean, the whole Eddie Jones thing, it's in the rearview mirror for obvious reasons and for good reason. We don't want to revisit all of that. But is Joe Schmidt and what he's doing at the moment for Australian rugby going to hold us in good stead to become a powerhouse again in the sport?

Yeah, for those people, Mark, who don't know a lot about Joe Smith, so he went over and coached Ireland back in, I think it was 2012, 2013, I think he started there, and they were eighth or ninth in the world, got them to number one in the world, got them to beat the All Blacks for the first time, so...

His credentials are very strong. He just needs the right cattle here in Australia to develop a game plan that suits our style of play. And that's his... I spoke to a couple of players this week and he said he held up the rugby ball and said, guys, we've got to treasure this. We don't want to kick it away. We want to build pressure on the opposition, which is exciting. That's the brand of rugby that I think fans and also people who just watch any sport, they want to see the ball in play. So hopefully he's got a style that will suit the players.

Tim, I'm pretty old, but I used to love watching the Bledisloe Cup between you guys and the Kiwis. And it seemed to be on quite regularly, like certainly every year. Has that changed in the last four or five years or is it just me?

No, it's probably just you, mate. You're probably so busy. But I think the way the game is, it's two test matches every year. Sometimes it's three against the All Blacks. But, big man, we haven't won the Bledisloe Cup. I think it's 22 or 23 years now. So we probably just haven't seen the Cup. The Kiwis don't even bring it over to Australia anymore, but they're not going to take it back. Is that still the case at the moment, do you think?

I think this year is a great opportunity for the Wobbies. A fair few All Blacks players post-Rugby World Cup went offshore to play. So guys like Richie Mawonga and those type of players. So the All Blacks are going to still be very hard to beat. But if there's any chance, maybe it's this year. Two test matches against them. We've got one in Sydney and one in Wellington.

All right, Tim, before you go, we've obviously got plenty of rugby league fans listening and they'll love to know your thoughts on these two players that are making the switch to the NRL later this year and next year. Of course, Mark Nwangani-Tawasi, who's joining the Roosters and Carter Gordon to the Gold Coast Titans. What can they expect the fans and the clubs when we see these players in the NRL and with the respective clubs? Well,

Yeah, I think Carter Gordon, a lovely kid, gets it. He's matured a lot the last couple of years. He got knocked around at Rugby World Cup under Eddie Jones and of course now the Melbourne Rebels are not there anymore. So it's a good option for him for a couple of years. And what they'll see from Carter Gordon, he takes the ball really close to the defensive line. So he's happy to

take some hits, and I think he'll do really well for the Titans, and I think he'll get them some front football. And then you look at Mark Nongani to us, he's an athlete first and a footy player second. He will be unbelievable in league, and very similar to Joseph Suoli, the way that he plays the game. He's tall, he can go up for the ball, and I think those cross-field kicks in league will totally suit him, and he'll bend the defensive line. He'll be outstanding for a couple of years, and hopefully...

We can get them both back in a few years' time. I think with both sports, this is going to happen a little bit more moving forward. All right, fantastic. Well, Tim, we'll be tuned in tonight to not only Stan but Channel 9, where you'll be able to watch the Wallabies in action. So we thought we'd get the plug in, given we're a stable mate of yours with Wide World of Sports. Good calling tonight, Tim, and we'll see you on the telly later on when the Wallabies take on Wales.

Good on you, boys. Nice to chat. There he is, Tim Orr, and a good man, the former Wallaby, and the weekend of international rugby headline by the doubleheader. Wallaroos facing Fiji at 4.55, so that game getting underway in 10 minutes. You'll see that on Stan. And then the Wallabies in Wales from 7pm, ad-free, live and on demand in 4K UHD on Stan Sport. You'll also be able to see it on Channel 9, the Wide World of Sports as well.