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http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...-23217,00.html
Shepherd emerges from shadows
By Wayne Smith and Bret Harris
August 21, 2007 A GROIN injury to back-up five-eighth Berrick Barnes has opened the door just a fraction to an 11th hour World Cup call-up for the forgotten man of Australian rugby, Western Force fullback Cameron Shepherd.
Australia coach John Connolly said he would be surprised if Barnes did not make the trip on Thursday to the Wallabies' pre-World Cup training camp in Portugal, but conceded the young Reds five-eighth was struggling with the groin strain he sustained during the Ballymore Tornadoes' 26-20 victory over the Sydney Fleet on Sunday.
"He's a concern, Berrick," said Connolly. "We'll have to monitor his progress very closely and we'll make a decision on his shadow replacement over the next 24 hours. We'll be looking at the eight No.10s in the Australian Rugby Championships, but we're not looking for a tourist. We're looking for someone who, if the need arose, could step in and do the job."
That would seem to indicate the selectors will not just confine their discussion to specialist five-eighths, and nor should they.
Even fully fit, Barnes runs the very real prospect of being the first Australian player since Richard Tombs in 1991 to go to a World Cup but not play in a game.
Although selected as an understudy to Steve Larkham, Barnes might well rank no higher than fourth-choice five-eighth for the Wallabies with Matt Giteau and Julian Huxley both more likely to be assigned the role in the event of injury to Australia's 101-Test playmaker.
If Huxley, who has reverted to back-up fullback now that Chris Latham has recovered from a knee reconstruction to reclaim the 15 jersey, was required at five-eighth, the Wallabies' most pressing need would be for a player who can cover for Latham.
Enter, or rather re-enter Shepherd. Until he damaged his posterior cruciate ligament in his knee in the Force's match against the Brumbies on April 20, Shepherd was not only the leading pointscorer in the Super 14, but leading contender to play fullback for Australia in the absence of Latham.
But after he was injured, and then re-injured when he returned perhaps prematurely for Australia A, Huxley suddenly was presented with his long overdue chance. He made the most of it, playing every Test this winter save for the Tri-Nations decider against the All Blacks which he missed because of a corked leg.
"Shepherd's definitely a possibility," Connolly said.