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Reds well represented in WC squad
27/07/2007 2:47:42 PM
Marc Fox
Sportal
Sam Cordingley has said it's a measure of the talent at the Reds that seven Queenslanders were selected for Australia's World Cup squad despite injury concerns and the club finishing the Super 14 season at the foot of the ladder.
Cordingley was one of the Reds picks who has battled back from injury to book his berth in John Connolly's 30-man travelling party as backup scrum-half to George Gregan and Matt Giteau.
The 31-year-old missed the entire season with a foot problem and despite being fit for the Tri Nations was not selected in the 22 for any of the four matches against South Africa and New Zealand.
Indeed only one Reds player - Stephen Moore - started the Bledisloe Cup clash against the All Blacks over the weekend, with Hugh McMeniman and Chris Latham on the bench, but Cordingley still wasn't surprised by Connolly's Queensland call-ups.
"Not everything's wrong when things are going badly and not everything's right when things are going well," he said. "The Queensland Reds have got a very strong group of players in there."
"We obviously underperformed this season but we're looking forward to making improvements next year."
"When you consider the talent of guys like Stephen Moore and Hugh McMeniman, they're outstanding footballers and it would be a shame for them to miss out."
Moore, Sean Hardman and shock inclusion Berrick Barnes all played the bulk of Queensland's Super 14 matches this season.
But McMeniman featured just five times between ankle injuries, Greg Holmes played only three games before shoulder surgery while Cordingley and Chris Latham were not involved all year.
"I think those guys really deserve their positions," Cordingley argued. "Coming back from an injury, it's not so much the physical as the mental side of things - knowing that you are capable of playing at this level."
"It's a matter of not only getting the match fitness but also knowing you can take the contact."
The Queenslanders, though, might have to prepare for plenty of time on the sidelines at the World Cup with Connolly saying he will start the group openers against Japan and Wales with his strongest line-up.
That, says Cordingley, who spent the majority of the Winter Test schedule on the periphery of the 22, can be frustrating and presents every unused player a dilemma.
"Anytime you're involved with a national side it's a great thing but you obviously want to be playing games," he said. "It does get frustrating. I've been involved the whole Tri Nations series and haven't played a minute of football." (Yes, JP knows that too...)
"But you've got to be supportive, you want the team to be successful and you do as much as you can off the field as far as train as hard as you can and be there in a supporting role to the guys that are playing in the games."
At least Cordingley will find himself in familiar surroundings at the Wallabies' base in Montpellier after living in the South of France for a year during his stint at French club Grenoble.
"I'm looking forward to that aspect," Cordingley admitted. "There's obviously limited time with the World Cup schedule and I know that there will be a lot of things." (You'll have the time on your hands Sam...)
"(But) the opportunity to get back there is going to be great."
"I've got a lot of friends there still so it's going to be a good opportunity to reacquaint some friendships and spend a bit of time away from rugby."
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