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I dunno why but I just can't warm to Cordingley.
Knuckles previously stated he would "help" George get the Captaincy record if at all possible.
To do that George obviously needs to start, I would imagine that George will start and Mortlock will come off the bench to test his shoulder against Canada, possibly a half time swap.
George ends on 60 Tests as Captain, Mortlock gets a half to test the shoulder and Cordingley gets a full half to sharpen his game.
Honestly, it is so long since he has played that I dunno if he would even make the 22 in the Finals unless George or Gits is injured.
Cordingley targets throne
Rupert Guinness in Montpellier | September 22, 2007
SAM Cordingley may be regarded by most as the back-up to Wallabies halfback George Gregan, who will notch yet another milestone in Sunday's World Cup game against Fiji when he equals the Test captaincy record.
But as Gregan leads Australia at Montpellier for the 59th time to match Will Carling's record, Cordingley will be plotting his downfall as he sits on the bench. The 31-year-old, will also be hoping that, with the 15 to 20 minutes of game time he will get on Sunday, he can secure a fifth career start in the Wallabies' final pool game against Canada next week.
Cordingley last started a Test against England last year, and is driven by his long-held and publicly stated ambition of making the No.9 jersey Gregan has worn for so long his for keeps.
"It makes it difficult when you are not getting any time. It's a hard to prove a point," said Cordingley of his odds of displacing Gregan. "If injury came, there would be a possibility. But pending how well I play this game, it's a hard question."
Nevertheless, Cordingley still believes he would make a case worthy of strong consideration if he could make the best of his next two games - even if Gregan played as well against Japan as he did against Wales.
"What do the selectors do if I have a blinder in the next two games?" asks the Queensland Reds half. "Do they put me in a quarter-final at the expense of someone who hasn't played, but has played well in the first two games? It is a question the selectors have to answer."
Cordingley's presence in the World Cup is a feat in itself, considering his long struggle last year to overcome a lisfranc foot injury that twice came close to forcing him into retirement.
But throughout his rehabilitation and return to playing this year, he has always maintained that aiming for Gregan's slot as Australia's starting halfback was not as far-fetched as some believe.
Cordingley offers more than just his swift and direct passing and willingness to make sniping runs. He believes he would be a vital asset to the Wallabies' efforts in France thanks to his experience of having played there for Grenoble during the 2004-2005 season.
That came at the end of a three-year spell away from Australia, during which he spent two years playing for Swansea. "The bonus that I would have would be [when] playing against teams like France," Cordingley said.
"When I was here, I didn't follow the Super 12 or 14. All I was focused on was [the French] Top 14. You became a product of your environment. I know the French team very well. I know their players very well. If we meet them at some stage, perhaps the selectors might call on me."
Of course, Cordingley realises that his ambitions of playing a meaningful role in the latter stages of the tournament will be dashed should he fail to make an impact against the Fijians.
One of the dangers for bench players fighting for promotion to the starting side is to try and do too much too quickly. Therein lies the dilemma, considering bench players are there for their impact and, hence, are expected to leave their mark on a Test as quickly as possible.
"You have to measure it," Cordingley said. "You can't do so much that you are doing it at the expense of the team. [The best thing] is to ease into it. But if you only have 10 minutes, it's hard to do."
Saying that, Cordingley has every intention of proving it is possible.