Barnes set for pivotal role

[Burgs]

Barnes set for pivotal role

Story by Sportal for the ARU
Monday, September 17, 2007 - 14:43 PM (AEST)

Wallabies young-gun Berrick Barnes looks set to play a pivotal role in his side's final two Pool B matches, following his impressive showing against the Welsh on Saturday.

Barnes showed all the poise of a seasoned veteran in the biggest match of his short career, laying on the opening try of the match and snapping an opportunistic drop goal as part of a dream start.

But the excitable 21-year-old, who had less than 24 hours to prepare for the match, admitted to being caught off guard when informed he would start in place of the injured Stephen Larkham.

"Sheer disbelief," Barnes said of his initial reaction. "Obviously disappointment for Bernie (Larkham) but you've just got to do the job I suppose - that's the way I thought about it (but) I was nervous that's for sure."

But despite the occasion the young Queenslander said he was able to take a carefree approach into the match.

"I sort of went in feeling I had nothing to lose - I hadn't had the best preparation going into it but I probably look at that as good and bad because you've got less time to think about it."

"I was nervous before hand but I think once you get out there you're buzzing on cloud nine … I've got a lot of experience around me so it was made a little easier through that."

Wallabies attack coach Scott Johnson was full of praise for the young pivot but also acknowledged the efforts of his more experienced members of the backline who helped Barnes through the match.

"It says more about the bloke as a bloke rather than as a rugby player. He gets called in at the last minute with no prep - he did some time with us (at training) during the week but very limited," Johnson said.

"And I think it not only says a bit about him but a bit about the sole of the people around him … so I think while Berrick did unbelievably well the other (players) around him did well too."

While the Wallabies are expected to prevail over Fiji in Montpellier on Sunday Barnes warned they could ill-afford to enter the match lightly.

"We've got a tough game next week and we're going to have to get our heads on for Fiji … when they turn it on they're pretty tough to keep at bay."

"So we've got to start well against them and try and carry this form through and build on our way to the semis," Barnes said.

[Burgs]

Barnes shows there's life after Larkham

Greg Growden | September 17, 2007

MONDAY MAUL

When rating the most courageous World Cup performance by a Wallaby, it's impossible to look beyond Tim Horan's incredible effort against South Africa in the 1999 semi-final.

In the lead-up to that game, Horan was a mess. He could not train - instead, he was confined to his hotel bed, writhing in agony with a virus and unable to hold down food for days on end.

Wallabies officials virtually gave up on him. But his tough, Queensland bushie outlook was ever present, and he kept telling them he would be fine.

Somehow, Horan summoned enough energy to get on the team bus and, with the aid of a few bites of dry toast that afternoon, played easily the most spectacular game of that tournament. His resolve and on-field poise were critical in propelling Australia to their second World Cup.

Not far behind in the Wallabies' World Cup courage pecking order comes Berrick Barnes. What Barnes achieved at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday was nothing short of extraordinary.

On Friday afternoon, he was happily wandering around town checking out the sights of Cardiff, when he was suddenly informed that he had better forget about taking happy snaps and get himself into playing mode. Stephen Larkham had been ruled out of the Welsh Test.

For someone who had played only 27 minutes of Test football, being told he had been catapulted to main-man status in Australia's most crucial group match, it would not have been surprising if Barnes had fainted.

The impact must have been immense, especially as, just a few weeks earlier, he had discovered his selection for the final spot in the 30-man Wallabies squad didn't exactly come with a ringing endorsement from the selectors. The panel was far from overwhelmed with his form with the Reds this year, and had instead gone on his 2006 form.

Backs coach Scott Johnson was a Barnes advocate, and saw something in his game that prompted him to make a push at the Wallabies selection table. Johnson noted that Barnes was a good field-goal kicker, and that his teammates were impressed by his exceptional passing skills.

Then it was up to Barnes, and yesterday he reminded all that an old sporting adage lives on - those who take their chances invariably go on the longest, most rewarding journeys.

The Australia-Wales Test was a make-or-break moment for Barnes. If he had failed and Australia had lost the Test, Barnes could have easily disappeared into rugby oblivion.

[Jehna]

I'm sorry....did i blink and miss something? Was that a positive article from growden? I mean admittedly he managed to chuck in some negative comments but still...what is the world coming to?

[Burgs]

But there's more!!!
Forgot to post the second half of the story

...Instead, his opening half-hour as the new Wallabies five-eighth was near perfect, and his whole game of such an exceptional standard that he found himself in contention for theman of the match award, which was won by Chris Latham.

Latham got the chocolates, but Barnes's effort was, in the long run, more important for the Wallabies. Latham's two tries ensured the win, but Barnes's midfield poise early on put the Australians on the right track.

His passes were on the mark. He put players through gaps. He made breaks. He made try-saving tackles, his positional play was authoritative, and he even had the cheek to pot a field goal.

When that went over in the 22nd minute, you just knew you were watching the first steps of someone really special. Suddenly, the dread of not having Larkham on the field subsided, especially as Barnes refused to be intimidated by the moment.

And with it came an overwhelming sense of relief that for the second week running, one can say with confidence that Australian rugby life remains healthy even with Larkham departing following the tournament.

What Barnes achieved in Cardiff is one of the most special of Australian World Cup moments, and, like Horan in 1999, will be talked about for years.

[shasta]

Was that a positive article from growden?

Yes it was. But even that wanker couldn't possibly be critical in the face of such a performance from the "baby" of the squad. Barnes' performance was sensational. Two more steady matches in the pools and he'll make for some interesting discussions at the selection table, as the coach has hinted..

[joblot]

Goodness me. Praise from Growden. Now that is a very rare commodity.

[Unnamed Sauces]

scoop.............my insiders tell me that Greg Growden is being extra nice to the Wallaby Camp because he has been told that as soon as the Wallaby campaign is finished Knuckles is going to take him out the back of the sheds and inflict punishment......

The favoured punishment is to take a red hot poker and shove the COLD end up his arse......so that he cant grab the hot end and pull it out...

Other punishment to be handed out will come from George Gregan who has had enough of 4 years of Growden calling for his sacking to ride his (recently recovered from the French Police) pushbike over Growdens gob....

[The Lone Hydrangea]

I like the cut of your jib, Mr Sauces!