It took a handful of phone calls from a club veteran to Wallabies coach Michael Cheika but Test rookie Tom Robertson has been cleared to play for Sydney University in Saturday's Shute Shield final.
Robertson looks set to cap a breakout first season in Super Rugby with a dream Wallabies debut in the Rugby Championship later this month. The Waratahs prop spent the week training with the Test squad and was delighted and more than a little surprised to make the final cut of 33 players named on Friday.
![Back for the grand final: Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has given Tom Robertson the all-clear to play in Saturday's ...](/web/20161015023920im_/http://www.smh.com.au/content/dam/images/g/q/m/2/v/h/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gqly0w.png/1470375715470.jpg)
The squad head into camp in Terrigal on Sunday but there was the small matter of a Shute Shield final to take care of before that.
Enter outgoing Sydney University captain and self-confessed rugby irritant Tom Carter, who needed to have a word with his old coach to make sure Robertson would be available.
"I think he made a few calls, 'Cheik' said he was getting annoyed with [Carter] calling him every five minutes because they were a bit short on tighthead props," Robertson said. "Luckily enough he put up with Tom for a while and he let me go so that's good."
Carter confirmed he got his man, but said Cheika was only too happy to oblige. Once he took the call.
"'Cheik's' been incredible," Carter said. "I was a bit worried when [Robertson] made his first camp last week, but as soon as I talked to 'Cheik' he said he wanted Tom to come back and play. His passion is to grow the game, so he wanted Tom to play."
Robertson said he was happy to be playing one more game before heading to Terrigal.
"Sydney Uni helped my career a lot, to get [me] where I am now, so it's good to get back to my club," he said.
"It's also good match fitness. You can do all the training you want but it's different to a game so it's been good to keep up that match fitness."
Robertson, a Dubbo-raised Australian Under-20s star, was one of three uncapped players to make the final Wallabies squad for the Rugby Championship, which kicks off with the first Bledisloe Cup Test on August 20 at ANZ Stadium. Melbourne back rower Lopeti Timani and centre Reece Hodge also made the cut, while Nick Frisby, Luke Morahan and Toby Smith missed out.
"At the start of the year I just wanted to make my Super Rugby debut and to be in the Wallabies is a pretty amazing experience," Robertson said.
"It's been a tough week ... the kilometres we're doing, the physicality, the professionalism of all the players is another step up. I've been falling asleep easily every night, it's pretty tough every day."
Carter backed his club teammate to go all the way this season.
"It's extraordinary. I've said it before, but he's the quintessential Uni guy, an excellent scholar studying medicine and athletically one of the most gifted kids we've had," Carter said.