The Jordan Petaia fullback experiment is getting ready for take-off

One of the more fascinating positional moves among the Australian teams in Super Rugby Pacific this season edges closer and closer to resolving itself every week.

Wallabies outside back Jordan Petaia's talent and natural ability has been clear since he debuted as an 18-year-old in 2018, but he was setting himself up for a difficult showdown toward the end of last season when it became known that he was keen to switch from wing and the occasional cameo at outside centre, to a permanent move to fullback.

Petaia spent much of his junior and schoolboy rugby time in the number 15, and expressed a desire to get back to what he considered his preferred position.

And he had support in high places, too. Wallabies coach Dave Rennie made it known late last year that he viewed Petaia as a long-term fullback option and was even ready to select him in the number 15 Barbarians jersey to face Samoa last November, until a hamstring injury cut Petaia's spring tour short.

Back in Queensland, the Petaia plans where generating momentum heading into the preseason, with Reds general manager Sam Cordingley admitting around the same time last year that Bryce Hegarty leaving Australian rugby to play for Leicester in the English Premiership was an opportunity for coach Brad Thorn to try Petaia at 15.

«Thorny's always had his eye on this for quite a while,» the former Queensland and Wallabies halfback said.

«He played a lot of his school rugby at 15, Thorny's seen that as a potential opportunity for 2022.

»Without giving too much away, I'm sure Thorny sees that as a future position for Jordy."

There was only one hurdle, and it came in the shape of Jock Campbell's excellent start to the season as the Queensland fullback. Campbell had played plenty of