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Though a few of you might like this one
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Dunning a world-class prop
by Robert Smith
September 20, 2007
AUSTRALIA John Connolly said Matt Dunning is a world-class prop and he has nailed down the loose-head prop position for the Wallabies.
To those disbelievers who watched Dunning carried off on a stretcher in a neck brace after the Wallaby scrum disintegrated against England at Twickenham in 2005, Connolly contended he was now a different player in the improving Australian forward pack.
Connolly, who with forwards coach Michael Foley has worked for almost two years rebuilding the technique and confidence of the Wallaby pack after their nadir at Twickenham, said switching Dunning from tight-head to loose-head was the key.
"Matt was outstanding last weekend against Wales and that (Tri-Nations) game against South Africa (last June) was a watershed moment for him, he had a few ghosts to exorcise," Connolly said.
"Michael Foley has worked very hard with him, technically and mentally, and he's done very well on the field and he's fitted in very well off the field.
"At the moment, Dunning has nailed down his spot, these things do change, but at the moment he's our number one loose-head prop."
Connolly said the New South Wales Waratahs forward was not comfortable playing at tight-head before and now he was doing things automatically at loose-head.
"What we did learn was that he was primarily a loose-head prop and we went down a period trying to turn him into a tight-head and I don't think he was comfortable there and that affected his form," he said.
"Test rugby is about doing things automatically and he wasn't comfortable out there and that's a problem. As soon as we said, 'You're not a tight-head at all, you're a loose-head, we're going to make you the best loose-head in the world,' he felt very comfortable and kept on improving."
Connolly, a former hooker with 15 years coaching experience, has great faith in 28-year-old Dunning, who has had his doubters of his toughness at elite level.
"Matt is a world-class prop, he showed that in South Africa, his game there was magnificent and Matt's challenge is going to be maintaining that," Connolly said.
"He's put a mark in the sand and now we expect that every time he plays and that's going to be his challenge mentally to prepare for that standard and play to that standard all the time."
Dunning will play his third consecutive match at the World Cup and his 35th international against Fiji in Pool B at Stade de la Mosson here on Sunday.
Agence France-Presse