Staniforth to Start at 12 in Wallabies Clash against Fiji

[inactive]

Right as rain at last for Staniforth

Greg Growden Chief Rugby Correspondent
Thursday, June 7, 2007 Print this article
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Pushing on … Wallabies inside-centre Scott Staniforth hones his fend at training in Perth this week.
Photo: Nic Ellis



THE WALLABIES

THE timing could not have been better. The rain has come. The sowing has been completed, and Peter and Dinah Staniforth can happily head off through the front gates of their West Wyalong property to fly to Perth to see their son Scott at last start a Test on home soil.

The Staniforths have waited an eternity for this moment, because even though Scott has started in four Tests for Australia over nine seasons, they have all been overseas. That will change on Saturday night when Staniforth will be in the centres for the Wallabies against Fiji at Subiaco Oval in the city that gave him a second chance.

Staniforth's parents run a 2800-hectare property about 30 kilometres from West Wyalong, mixing sheep and cattle with growing wheat, oats and canola. Good recent rains have enabled them to put in their first full crop of wheat and oats for some years, with sowing completed yesterday.

"They're just finishing up on the tractor today, and are heading across on Friday," Staniforth said yesterday.

"It is the first time we've been able to get a full crop in for a while. It's been a good year, because they've got some rain for the first time in quite a while. And it has all been quite good timing, because if I had got the call-up last week, they probably wouldn't have been able to get away from the farm."


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Staniforth said his parents had travelled to Sydney last month for the first Test against Wales in the hope of seeing him in the green and gold. But he was restricted to bench duties.

"I said to them then that I would book them air tickets to come across to Perth just in case, because they have been waiting for a while for this moment to see me wearing the gold top in Australia. So they're coming, which is marvellous."

Staniforth, 29, is a member of a completely revamped Wallabies team, with only five players retaining their places in the starting XV following last Saturday's 31-0 second-Test win over Wales in Brisbane.

The only survivor in the forwards is second-rower Dan Vickerman, while five-eighth Stephen Larkham, winger Drew Mitchell, centre Adam Ashley-Cooper and fullback Julian Huxley remain in the back line. The latest Test newcomer is the aggressive Queensland second-rower James Horwill.

Staniforth, who has played recently with the Western Force as a winger, is also delighted he is back in his preferred position of inside-centre, which gives Ashley-Cooper an opportunity to play in his favoured outside-centre spot.

"It is also marvellous that this is occurring in Perth, because when I left NSW [in 2004] to play for London Irish I thought my Wallaby days were behind me," Staniforth said. "And the Western Force have given me the chance to get back into contention.

"I was happy with the way I played in the centres last year, and how it finished off getting a crack at the No.12 jersey for Australia against Scotland in Edinburgh.

"Going into this season the prime goal was to get that No.12 Test jersey back and this is my first step. Playing outside Stephen Larkham will be special."

Even Lote Tuqiri is looking on this Test as something special - and it is not entirely due to his return to the Australian team after a two-Test break. He is up against the country he captained in the 2000 rugby league World Cup.

"It will feel strange playing against Fiji," Tuqiri said yesterday. "I am first and foremost an Australian, but I am very proud of my Fijian heritage."

And while the appearance of last weekend's Test captain, Stirling Mortlock, on the bench may seem strange, it is primarily to be back-up goalkicker if anything happens to Huxley during the Test.

Six players - Rocky Elsom, Mark Gerrard, Matt Giteau, Wycliff Palu, Nathan Sharpe and Guy Shepherdson - were also yesterday named as the group to leave for South Africa early for the opening Tri Nations Test against the Springboks in Cape Town on June 16. They will depart tomorrow night.

AUSTRALIA Julian Huxley; Drew Mitchell, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Scott Staniforth, Lote Tuqiri; Stephen Larkham, George Gregan; David Lyons, Phil Waugh (capt), Mark Chisholm, Dan Vickerman, James Horwill, Al Baxter, Adam Freier, Matt Dunning. Res: Stephen Moore, Benn Robinson, Stephen

[hopep]

So Huxley is going to get some kicking practice. Great, we need a couple of in-form kicker for when we get a penalty on the right side (mortlock misses 60% from there). And he likes to run, I'm warming to the boy.

Shock - does this mean the coaching staff are (dare I say it!), thinking ahead?

[gustafsl]

Would have been nice to let Dunning have some kicking practice. He can't do anything else, lets see if he can kick

[hopep]

of course he does something else Gustafsl..
his presence in the front row make Al Baxter look athletic and competent.. thats very hard

[allsaints]

As usual Coach you are spot on. Spanner has to put Green and Gold on to wear the 12 on his back on his home turf.
Beware the Baaloo Bear (Big Pete) and mother Dinah are Perth bound. Scott would love to collect his 06 award so maybe a good time to get the whole outfit there! Unfortunately the other brothers are busy with rugby committments .. Graydon in France, Nigel about to go to NZ and Mitchell in Orange. They will all be watching!

[inactive]

TASMANIA?

[shasta]

Nigel about to go to NZ

Going to play NPC I suppose? He's been going great guns for Uni. I'd hoped to see him in the ARC. If he goes OK he could make a replacemant for Digby.

[allsaints]

Yeah NPC (Graydon did a stint with Southland a few years back) must run in the family. Nige was going well at Uni but has had few little niggling problems with his knee. Uni look awesome just the same.