NSW Waratahs Super Rugby AUS coach Lachlan McCaffrey believes lock Miles Amatosero is 'invaluable' in any forward pack, likening him to some of the Springboks' greats.
It comes as Amatosero looks to work his way back into the Wallabies squad, with the Waratahs naming him to start in Saturday's match against the Queensland Reds in Roma.
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The 24-year-old missed selection for the one-off Test against South Africa after serving a suspension for a red card in the first Test against Japan.
Amatosero was suspended for three games for a dangerous clearout on Brave Blossoms captain Warner Dearns, having made his Test debut the game earlier against Italy.
It was the lock's fourth card in 18 months, but McCaffrey cautioned against dulling the power of the 2.03 metre titan.
With the South Africans settling into their base in Terigal before flying west, the former Waratahs and Brumby believes Amatosero and the world champions' tall timber share similarities.
"Miles is someone everyone likes playing with. I think having someone like Miles next to you in the forward pack just makes you feel an extra one or two feet tall. He does all the physical hard stuff…he's invaluable in a forward pack," McCaffrey said.
“I think if you asked anyone around who the best locks are in the world, they would probably go straight to the Springboks with players like Eben Etzebeth. Throughout their whole career those locks for the Springboks have lingered on that edge of physicality.
“It’s a balancing act, but Miles, at the age of 24 and in the scheme of being a really young lock with that style of Springbok physicality, It's just a matter of time he moulds into that role in a team in a forward pack.”
McCaffrey praised his development since his first taste of Test rugby, inspiring the Waratahs to a 38-19 victory over the ACT Brumbies last week.
“I know on the outside people don't see the daily growth in some of these kids, but what I've seen in Miles this game over the last 12 to 24 months is incredible," he remarked.
“Even I was talking to [Wallabies coach] Les Kiss and [assistant] Tom Donnelly about him, his first opportunity with the Wallabies and his training standards, leadership, detail on the grass, preparation; he’s come back from the Wallabies and not just made sure his own role is good, but he's actually driving really good habits and standards out on the grass for others too.
“At the age of 24, I think the rugby world is going to see a lot more of Miles over the next decade because he's got things in his game that are very hard to coach around his physicality and love for collisions on either side of the ball.”
Amatosero will lead from the front again for the Waratahs as they face rivals Reds in the Santos Festival of Rugby.
The Waratahs have made two changes to their pack with Australia U20 star Isaac Fonua and Shield winner Tom Girle starting as Amatosero feels the added expectation and experience.
"It's the first time in my career that I've actually felt old with Justice [Taumoepeau], he's 18 years old and that was eye-opening for me," he laughed.
“A lot of these young boys are doing so well and I'm just trying to share as much as I can and try and help them through anything that they need.”
