Cordingley used to SOS role
Fri, 22 Aug 2008 18:10
Veteran Australian scrumhalf Sam Cordingley will once again come to the rescue for his country when he appears in the Wallaby No.9 jumper against the Springboks on Saturday.
Cordingley will start at scrumhalf against the Springboks in the Tri-Nations clash in Durban, having cracked the nod ahead of Brett Sheehan for the starting berth in the absence of the injured Luke Burgess.
It will be only the sixth time in his long career that the 32-year-old Cordingley will be starting a Test match for Australia, having been used as emergency cover when Australia's previous first-choice scrumhalves, George Gregan and Chris Whitaker, were unavailable through injury.
The Reds player spent most of that career in the shadow of Wallaby legend George Gregan, and has collected 19 Test caps over eight years, having made his international debut in 2000.
Cordingley then had to wait six years for his next chance to play for his country, and he has had to be content with sporadic chances at Test level ever since - the past two months has afforded the scrumhalf only 28 minutes of international action off the bench.
"It is one of those things I've been used to in the past," Cordingley told foxsports.com.au.
"At a Test level, I look back at when I first had my debut run-on in 2000, there was probably about four or five months between playing football.
"That's the nature of what we've got in Australian rugby, not much football between Test and Super 14 football.
"And again last year at the World Cup, there wasn't much football before then.
"It is something I have a lot of experience with, so it's not too much of a concern.
"I feel physically very good. I have been training well, and obviously been involved with the Test team for the last eight or nine weeks."
Australia coach Robbie Deans spoke highly of Cordingley, saying that the experienced Queenslander will probably look to throw himself fully into the remaining Tri-Nations Test matches, knowing that it could very well be the last time he tours with the Wallabies.
"He probably wasn't that hopeful through Super rugby that he was going to get any more international rugby," Wallabies coach Robbie Deans said.
"He's a really good team man and he's a bloke who's been around for a while.
"He's experienced and he's obviously really going to relish getting the opportunity to start a Test match again and there's a window of opportunity for him and [replacement scrumhalf] Brett [Sheehan] now.
"They'll be looking to make the most of it."
Cordingley echoed his coach's sentiments, and expressed his surprise at his inclusion in the team.
"I said earlier in the year I was surprised to be a part of the squad, given the fact I am heading overseas, my age and a lot of those factors," he said.
"It's been great to be involved again. The opportunity has presented itself to start and that's a great feeling."
