Plenty Of Fight Left In Veteran Halfback

Sydney Morning Herald

Friday June 6, 2008

Greg Growden

AT AGE 32, Sam Cordingley is happy to be the Wallabies halfback mentor, but he is even more determined to regain the Test No.9 jersey.

Cordingley, who has been shackled by injuries in recent seasons, yesterday admitted he was surprised to make the Wallabies squad, primarily because of his age and that next year he will leave Australia to finish his career in France.

However, the wise heads of Australian rugby clearly realised the importance of having Cordingley around as a safeguard while they groom the Waratahs' Luke Burgess.

Burgess is expected to be named as halfback for the Test against Ireland, with Cordingley, who has 14 Test caps in a punctuated eight-year Test career, looking on wisely from the reserves bench. But Cordingley is not hanging around the Wallabies camp believing he is simply a stop-gap measure.

"I'm open to help out in anyway possible, but obviously my No.1 goal is to try to get as many Tests in the No.9 jersey as possible," Cordingley said yesterday.

"I'll be very open to help the young guys in the team, if they're willing to ask. But I'm sure they've got their own ideas about how the game should be played."

When Cordingley returned from a lengthy overseas stint in 2006, he was expected to pressure George Gregan for the halfback spot. That plan was thwarted by a lingering foot injury. This year, his calf has caused him problems, but he now believes the interruptions to his career are over.

"Match fitness can only be achieved by playing games, and that is something I haven't done for the last five weeks. But I've played a lot of rugby in my career and it doesn't take long to get that fitness back," he said.

"I must admit it was a real surprise I got the call-up [to the Wallabies squad]. I wasn't expecting it, because of a number of reasons: one, my age; two, the injury; and three, going overseas. I thought all three might have counted against me."

And so far so good with Robbie Deans. "What I've seen is that it is very much the team before the individual. That's a very good thing, while on the rugby field it is all about playing the percentages. That's good, too."

© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald

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