Tawake lurks in the shadows 'Old bloke' Cockbain on standby

[no.8]

ACT Brumbies back-rower Jone Tawake will find out on Friday if he will join the Wallabies World Cup squad when it goes into training next week.
The Wallabies coaching staff is set to name a shadow squad on Friday, which will train with the team in the lead-up to September's World Cup in France.

Tawake, who played No8 this year with Australia A, is likely to be included in case David Lyons, who has a blood clot in his calf, or Wycliff Palu, who is struggling to overcome a shoulder injury, fail to be fully fit before the competition starts.

Brumbies coach Laurie Fisher did not weigh into Tawake's role in the World Cup but said opportunities may arise for players outside the initial 30-man squad, named on Monday night, should injury or lack of game time take its toll.

"There are a couple of doubts in the back-row with Wycliff Palu and David Lyons, and a couple of guys who need to play some time in the rugby championships, like Greg Holmes, who haven't had a lot of rugby, and Sam Cordingley has played one or two games of football all year," Fisher said.

"So those guys need some rugby under their belt if they're going to be called on under the pump in France."

Matt Cockbain, 34, is also on stand-by for the squad and can't quite believe he's in line to end what has become a part-time playing career with a third Rugby World Cup.

But Cockbain, plucked out of club rugby, is adamant he can justify coach John Connolly's left-field decision to put the 63-Test forward on stand-by four years after he last played for Australia.

The turnabout comes after he impressed for GPS in two Brisbane club finals, which Connolly attended to watch World Cup selections Greg Holmes and Chris Latham.

A surprised Cockbain admitted he didn't know what to make of Connolly's call at first.

"He put me on the spot a bit. I was a bit shocked and he said to have a bit of a think about it," he said.

"At this stage I think I've got to go for it. It's your country and if he thinks by watching me play that I can do what's required then I can give him more of that, that's for sure."

Coincidentally, Cockbain's last Test was in the 2003 World Cup final loss to England when he came off the bench for the last 40 minutes.

He started in the 1999 World Cup final defeat of France, along with current halves George Gregan and Stephen Larkham.

The former Queensland blindside flanker spent two seasons in Japan for World Corp before a possible return to the Reds in 2006 was prevented by red tape.

Cockbain was keen to return this year but Reds coach Eddie Jones preferred him as a lineout coach rather than a lineout jumper.

"It's one for the old blokes. If I was to go I would be the oldest player in the Wallabies squad for the past two World Cups," Cockbain said.

Cockbain is six months older than Gregan and will turn 35 three days before the Wallabies' third pool game against Fiji on September 22.

Reds lock James Horwill is also on stand-by while flanker Rocky Elsom is an option to move back to No8, which would allow Hugh McMeniman to play flanker and open up the possibility of Cockbain touring.

Meanwhile, Fisher was happy to see 10 Brumbies players in the squad to travel to France, but felt prop Nic Henderson was not given a chance to stake his claim for a place in the touring party.

"I was disappointed that Nic Henderson hasn't been given a chance throughout the domestic Test season," he said.

"He was as good as any loose-head in the rest of the Australian sides and I think he deserved an opportunity and it's probably disappointing from his perspective, apart from that everything else seems fairly reasonable."

[WF2006]

This is getting a little weird! WTF is going on. When I first read the Cockbain news, I was of the impression that he was just going to be involved in the training camps as a "hard nut" to do a bit of toughening up and take a bit of pressure of some of the injured - but now theres talk of him GOING to France!!

Makes little sense to me!

Brumby fumes as Cockbain stands by
By Bret Harris
July 25, 2007 BRUMBIES back-five forward Adam Wallace-Harrison has expressed dismay at the decision to pluck former Australia second rower/flanker Matt Cockbain out of Brisbane club rugby and place him on stand-by for the Rugby World Cup in France.

Cockbain, 34, played the last of his 63 Tests against England in the 2003 Rugby World Cup final, but he is one of three back-ups for the 30-man squad if No.8s Wycliff Palu or David Lyons fail to prove their fitness from their respective shoulder injury and a blood clot.

If Palu and/or Lyons is ruled out, Cockbain, who will attend a three-day training camp in Sydney next week, may be called up to play in his third Rugby World Cup.

Brumbies No.8 Jone Tawake and Queensland second rower James Horwill are also believed to be on stand-by, while blindside flanker Rocky Elsom is an option to move back to No.8, which would allow Hugh McMeniman to play as a flanker and open the possibility of Cockbain returning to the national squad.

The news of Cockbain's possible recall has shocked Wallace-Harrison, who played three games for Australia A in the Pacific Cup this year.

"That would be surprising and disappointing," said Wallace-Harrison, who will play for Eastern Suburbs against Sydney University in the Sydney club rugby grand final at Aussie Stadium on Saturday.

"At the start of the year they (selectors) said the World Cup squad would be picked on Super 14 form.

"I don't know what to make of that. Matt was a tremendous player in his day, but he hasn't played at that high level for a while.

"I haven't seen him play in years. I don't even know how he's playing.

"James Horwill and Jone Tawake don't surprise me. There's every chance both will go if Lyons and Palu don't pull through."

Wallace-Harrison said he had been happy with his form this year, and he thought he had claims to make the Wallabies' shadow squad.

Off contract next year, Wallace-Harrison would consider playing overseas if not required by Australia.

"A year is a long time in rugby and anything can happen," Wallace-Harrison said.

"Every time I come out of contract, I get offers to play overseas. I can't keep knocking back overseas contracts all my career.

"I would love to represent my country. I toured Europe with the Wallabies in 2005 and was 23rd man for the Test against Wales. That's as close as I've been."

Australia coach John Connolly, who mentored Cockbain at Queensland for several years, was impressed with his form for GPS in two Brisbane club finals, which he attended to watch Rugby World Cup selections Greg Holmes and Chris Latham.

A surprised Cockbain admitted he didn't know what to make of Connolly's call at first.

"He put me on the spot a bit," Cockbain said.

"I was a bit shocked and he said to have a bit of a think about it.

"At this stage, I think I've got to go for it. It's your country and if he thinks by watching me play that I can do what's required then I can give him more on that, that's for sure."

Cockbain started in the 1999 Rugby World Cup final defeat of France, along with halves George Gregan and Stephen Larkham, and he came off the bench against England in 2003.

After spending two seasons in Japan with World Corp, a return to the Reds in 2006 was prevented by red tape. He was keen to return to Queensland this year but departed Reds coach Eddie Jones preferred him as a lineout coach rather than a lineout jumper.

Cockbain is six months older than Gregan and will turn 35 three days before the Wallabies' third pool game against Fiji on September 22.

He felt his professionalism and experience was part of what Connolly was looking for.

"I think he likes my style," Cockbain said.

"I push the edges a bit and try to wipe guys out and he likes that attitude."

- additional reporting by AAP