"[He is] very similar to Israel when he first came over in 2013. It's a question of him learning the game and our ability to teach him the game, and how quickly he can pick that up. He certainly has all the raw qualities of an athlete, so it's about how fast we can turn that into a rugby player." The 112-kilogram winger, who spent three seasons with the Eels in the NRL before turning his attention to rugby, is in good hands at Daceyville. Gibson was the Waratahs' attack coach when Michael Cheika convinced a disillusioned Israel Folau that he should give rugby a go instead of leaving the AFL to go back to rugby league. Folau made his Test debut on the wing that same year but it was Gibson who has helped the dual international grasp many of the nuances of rugby. "[John] has similar traits to Israel in that he has a very inquisitive mind and wants to learn the game," Gibson said. He is potentially part of the Waratahs' plan to fill the sizeable gap left by departed winger Taqele Naiyarovoro, who scored 15 tries for NSW in 2018 but has moved to Northampton in the UK Premiership.

The 2014 title winners are hoping to lock in the signature of veteran utility Adam Ashley-Cooper as well. Despite that recruitment taking longer than was hoped to finalise, Gibson says it could help free up a number of other options in the NSW back line. "He offers us a person who can play a variety of positions, which then allows us greater flexibility within our squad," he said. Monster loss: Taqele Naiyaravoro celebrates breaking the Waratahs record for most tries in a season. Credit:AAP "For instance, we know Curtis Rona can play on the wing, so Adam's recruitment affords us greater flexibility. We have offered John Folau a training opportunity, to see where he can get to and potentially come through, and then we've got a number of young players. "It's going to be a difficult one for us to replace 15 tries – I'd say 10 of those tries [Naiyarovoro] had no right to score – so it's a big hole we're looking to fill."

Gibson also weighed into commentary around the national team, defending captain Michael Hooper against calls for the Wallabies to try another captain and endorsing the agreement on a Wallabies camp in January. Loading "From my perspective as a coach, I think [Hooper has] done a remarkable job," Gibson said. "He appears to have really grown and I'm sure he'll take a lot from the season. I watched an interview with him and he said as much; that through this experience he's grown as a leader and I'm sure he has." The Super Rugby teams will not see their Wallabies players until just a few weeks before their first game of next season, with a 10-day camp to be held in Sydney to kick off World Cup preparations.