0
Ryan ready to go from sub to star
By Jon Geddes
September 05, 2008 IN his first season playing Test rugby Ryan Cross has taken on the one of the toughest roles in the Australian team as the super sub of the backline.
The former NRL star has come off the bench in six of his seven appearances for Australia, only cracking the starting line-up once - against New Zealand in Sydney when skipper Stirling Mortlock was injured.
And one cannot underestimate the enormity of the task - never knowing when he will be thrown into the Test match cauldron but expected to aim up straight away.
The circumstances in last week's 53-8 loss to the Springboks demonstrated just what Cross is up against.
Want to go to the Bledisloe Cup? You can with Fox Sports Travel
"I was on the bench for 50 minutes so it was hard to watch and when I came on it felt like they were a runaway steam train," Cross said. "They were just coming from everywhere and they were so confident. Once you get in that mood there is nothing to stop them."
But each time he has got into the action Cross has done his job in both attack and defence.
While he may not have receive a lot of accolades, Cross has been one of the Wallabies' success stories.
Without fuss or fanfare, he is on target to become one of rugby's most successful league converts.
"It's hard. I've never really played off the bench so I had to learn how to prepare myself. Every week I've been dealing with it better," he said.
"I just prepare myself to play 80 minutes and whenever I come on have to be ready to go. If you are not ready you get caught out pretty quickly. That's just the way I feel.
"The thing I have learned from being on the bench is that when you are thrown on there you have to try and make a difference and give them a bit of energy."
But his situation could change next Saturday with Cross believed to be in line for a call-up to the starting side for the Tri-Nations decider against the All Blacks in Brisbane.
"You think about it and you prepare as if you are starting, but if I don't I have a job to do obviously," Cross said.
"Robbie (Deans, Wallabies coach) has his own thoughts and I'm sure he is thinking about it right now.
"If I get the chance I'll take it and that's all I can do."
There are suggestions Cross could replace Timana Tahu as Mortlock's centre partner.
Tahu was unfairly made the scapegoat for last week's loss but there is no doubt the classy back learned from that game and will bounce back to silence his critics.
Cross knows full well that switching codes isn't easy and now he is reaping the dividends from the hard work he has put in since joining the Western Force last year.
There were a few speedbumps at the start of the journey.
"I'm really happy with my progression. I think last year I learned a lot and after the season I knew what I had to improve on," he said.
"At the start of the year my goal was to play for Australia and I have been involved in just about every Test. I've come through this Super 14 with a lot of confidence and I've brought that into the Test matches."
Wearing the Wallabies jumper has extra meaning for Cross after the disappointment of missing State of Origin selection in his league days despite being tantalisingly close for several seasons.
"State of Origin is the pinnacle of rugby league. I never quite got there," he said.
"I missed my chance there and it would have been great to do that.
"Now I'm playing union all that experience of missing out on teams has really made me cherish being in this team and work a bit harder."
Cross, who played Australian Schoolboys with Phil Waugh, Adam Freier and Craig Wing, is still a rookie in international rugby and the good thing for Australia is that the best is yet to come.
"Hopefully I can kick on from here," he said. "The body is feeling real good and I've got no excuse not to keep improving."
Irrespective of whether he starts or comes off the bench, Cross will be a key man for the Wallabies in Brisbane next week as the team looks to bounce back from their thrashing at the hands of South Africa.
"This Test is going to be the biggest one of the year for us. There is a lot at stake with the Tri-Nations on the line and trying to keep the Bledisloe Cup alive," he said.
He has appreciated the chance to return to Perth this week and spend time with wife Danielle and daughter Marney after the intense and demanding tour of South Africa.
"It will be interesting to see how we react, everyone knows we are under pressure now," Cross said.
"And we'll have to perform next week otherwise positions are going to be questioned. But I think everyone is going to fire up for this game."
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...-23217,00.html
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by Burgs
War is Gods may of teaching Americans Geography