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On a high Down Under Australia in good shape as Lions tests loom
SYDNEY (Reuters) -- Australian rugby has never been in better shape. The national team, the Wallabies, currently hold the World Cup, the Tri-Nations and the Bledisloe Cup, and have helped make the game more popular than ever. Record crowds attend every match, television ratings are rising and sponsors are lining up to throw pots of money at the players and administrators. More children are starting to take up the game and the top players who used to defect to rugby league are now staying put while league players are now starting to change codes. To top that the ACT Brumbies won this season's Super 12 final and the Australian Rugby Union is busily preparing to host the next World Cup in 2003, with Sydney's Olympic stadium as its centerpiece. But there is still some unfinished business to sort out. For all the success Australia is enjoying both on and off the field, something still nags away at them -- their failure to beat the British and Irish Lions in a series. They should have done it in 1989 until a moment of madness by David Campese gifted the deciding test to the Lions and have been waiting 12 years for another chance to claim the one scalp that has eluded them. "Beating the Lions is an important priority for Australian rugby," Wallaby coach Rod Macqueen told Reuters. "It's one of the biggest challenges we'll ever face." Things are looking good for the Wallabies to break their losing streak this year although no-one is taking anything for granted. The Wallabies were beaten by England on their end of season tour to Europe last year and know they will face an even tougher side when the best Scottish, Irish and Welsh players are slotted in. Squad rebuilding The series comes at an awkward time for Australia with Macqueen about to step down in September and the squad rebuilding ahead of the World Cup following the retirement last year of several key players including Tim Horan, David Wilson, Jason Little and Richard Harry. They have been able to fill most of the holes so far but with the series coming at the start of the Southern Hemisphere's international program rather than the end, time is running out to develop new combinations with only one warmup match against the New Zealand Maoris on June 9. Macqueen said the Lions series could be harder to win than the World Cup because there were no easy games. "This is arguably the hardest season Australia's ever had and is right up there with the World Cup," Macqueen said. "We've got a few new players so the challenge is going to be to get the team going early because we've got the Lions first up whereas in the past our goals have been at the end of the season." Lacking depth The 30-man squad, named Monday to contest the 2001 international program includes 12 each from the Brumbies and Queensland Reds, but there are some genuine concerns over the lack of quality props and depth in some of the key backline positions. Veteran lock John Eales will lead the side for possibly the last year while scrumhalf George Gregan will remain as his deputy. Gregan and flyhalf Stephen Larkham are the most innovative pairing in the game but there is no obvious replacement for either of them if they get injured and the series could be decided by their fitness. Daniel Herbert will fill one of the center positions but the identity of his midfield partner remains in doubt since Stirling Mortlock dislocated his shoulder in the Super 12 semifinals. Chris Latham is the country's best fullback, forcing goalkicker Matthew Burke to the wing where he will be joined by Joe Roff as Ben Tune continues his comeback from injury. While there are fears over the props, there are no worries over the hooker with Michael Foley and Jeremy Paul both available. They have shared the hooking role for the past two years and will probably do the same this season with Foley used for the early set pieces and Paul coming on as an impact player. Eales and David Giffin will pack into the second row with Toutai Kefu, Matt Cockbain, Mark Connors and Owen Finegan to contest the number eight and blindside flanker positions, leaving George Smith at openside. The 20-year-old Smith is one of the most exciting young players to break into the team in years and experts are already predicting he will become one of the world's best. He will be vital to the Wallabies' hopes of beating the Lions because of his work rate and speed to the breakdown. Lions favorites While Australia have a definite advantage over the Lions in the backs their biggest problem will be winning enough ball and will have to rely on their high-risk running game based on multi-phases and quick recycling to shift the Lions pack around. However the enormity of the challenge for the Wallabies has not been lost on their 1991 World Cup winning coach Bob Dwyer who tipped the Lions as favorites. "I believe people in Australia will look at the Lions forwards and think this will be a tough series," he said after his Barbarians side beat England 43-29 in London on Sunday. "The Lions have strength and depth and many good players will watch the test series from the sidelines. "Having said that favorites lose sometimes." The Australian rugby public hope he's right. Squad: Graeme Bond (Brumbies), Matthew Burke (New South Wales Waratahs), Matt Cockbain (Queensland Reds), Mark Connors (Reds), Ben Darwin (Brumbies), John Eales (Reds), Owen Finegan (Brumbies), Elton Flatley (Reds), Michael Foley (Reds), David Giffin (Brumbies), George Gregan (Brumbies), Nathan Grey (Waratahs), Justin Harrison (Brumbies), Daniel Herbert (Reds), James Holbeck (Brumbies), Toutai Kefu (Reds), Chris Latham (Reds), Stephen Larkham (Brumbies), David Lyons (Waratahs), Rod Moore (Waratahs), Glenn Panoho (Reds), Jeremy Paul (Brumbies), Joe Roff (Brumbies), Nathan Sharpe (Reds), George Smith (Brumbies), Nick Stiles (Reds), Ben Tune (Reds), Andrew Walker (Brumbies), Phil Waugh (Waratahs), Chris Whitaker (Waratahs), Bill Young (Brumbies).
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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