Tom HamiltonRugby Editor
TWICKENHAM, London -- When Leroy Houston stood, wearing his first cap, in the bowels of Twickenham as Wallaby No.901 moments after Australia defeated Argentina, he didn't know whether to laugh or cry -- in the end it was a combination of both.
The pride at making his debut for Australia was writ large on his face; the smile looked like it would never fall.
"I can't put it into words," Houston said. "It's an amazing feeling to become a Wallaby.... Far out! I've aspired for a long time to become one and I didn't think I'd get to this level.
"It's been a hard journey... but ... just to get that opportunity to run out with Quade Cooper and Michael Hooper, these boys are going to be legends, so I'm so happy."
It was a long, turbulent journey for Houston to get to this point.
Capped at U19, U21 and A level, Houston ticked all the boxes but didn't get the nod at Test level despite being on their 2005 tour. He was part of the 2011 Super Rugby-winning Reds side but then he journeyed to Bordeaux where his career nose-dived. Dreams of Test rugby were a world away.
He didn't adjust to French rugby, finding he was unsuited to the attritional nature. "When I went to France that was when I questioned myself and whether I was good enough to play professional rugby. I was really down in the dumps," Houston says but then an unlikely olive-branch came from Colomiers in PROD2 and he fell back in love with the game.
Bath picked him up in 2013 and the town, club, players and supporters took him to their heart. He excelled at the Recreation Ground but at the end of last season he left to return to the Reds with Michael Cheika teeing him up as a future Wallaby.
So happy for this guy! @leroyhouston8 #901 http://pic.twitter.com/10IT0r3AtX
— Matt Garvey (@MattGarvey5) October 8, 2016
He failed to break into the side for the June Tests against England but here in the final match of the Rugby Championship he managed to get that previously elusive first cap as a 70th minute substitute for Lopeti Timani. Emotions had to be suppressed.
"That was the number one mental focus. Trying not to contain emotions, but just to be clear minded about my job, maintaining the system that Australia has both in attack and defence. I'm a ball carrier but I didn't actually touch the ball!"
The cap is likely to stay on his head for the next couple of days while his Test shirt will eventually be framed on the wall of his family home alongside his other representative shirts. A 901 tattoo may follow.
But over the next couple of days he will return to Bath, where he is currently on loan due to their back-row injury crisis. It is his home from home and his Bath team-mates Matt Garvey, Matt Banahan and Kane Palma-Newport were there at Twickenham to welcome him as he walked off the bus.
"These boys are the reason I'm here today. If I hadn't played for Bath and played to the potential I have, I wouldn't be here today."
The smile that means everything go @leroyhouston8 #debutcap http://pic.twitter.com/rSrBhtQWYS
— matt banahan (@mattbanahan1) October 8, 2016
He is unlikely to feature in Australia's third Bledisloe Cup match against New Zealand -- Cheika said earlier in the week they'd let Bath keep him over the next couple of weeks as a thank you for releasing him for the Test against Argentina -- but will be hopeful of featuring in the end-of-year Tests.
The perfect end to Houston's year would be to face England, complete with some of his Bath team-mates, on Dec. 3 at Twickenham.
"I'm hoping, fingers crossed, that happens. I don't know what the coaches are thinking. I hope to be involved and if that did come around, I'd love to play the likes of George Ford and Jonathan Joseph."
Houston achieves life-long dream as Wallaby 901
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