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by: Wayne Smith From: The Australian September 30, 2011 12:00AM
IF Nathan Sharpe looks just a little more square-jawed and determined than some of his younger Wallabies teammates approaching the business end of this World Cup, it's because he has experienced something they haven't -- a quarter-final exit.
Where some of the World Cup novices in the Australian side might be forgiven for regarding tomorrow's historic first Test encounter with Russia as a good, old-fashioned opportunity to cut loose, the 33-year-old is looking at the bigger picture.
He is well aware the Wallabies leaked a lot of momentum when they lost to Ireland and that while the 11-try romp against the United States last weekend had them moving again, the Australians can't afford to lose speed against the Russians.
Nelson's amiable hug-an-Aussie day is past. What the Russians have in mind tomorrow is wrapping the Wallabies in a less than pleasant Bear-hug.
"People underrate these smaller nations at their own peril," Sharpe warned. "They're bloody physical teams and they have a real crack."
Sharpe's face still clouds with pain whenever he reflects on his two previous World Cup campaigns. He started in the 2003 Cup final, partnering Justin Harrison in the second-row, and takes no comfort in the fact that it took a Jonny Wilkinson field goal deep in extra time to settle the issue.
"I came close in 2003 and that was shattering," he said.
In a way it might have been even more difficult to take than exiting in the quarter-finals in 2007, again at the hands of England. He and his second-row partner that day, Dan Vickerman, spoke this week about that 12-10 bitter defeat.
"Dropping out of that quarter-final still hurts, and that's not something I want to leave this team with," Sharpe said.
This will be the lock's 98th Test and if he replicates against the Russians the form he displayed against the American Eagles, there seems no way he can be left out of the quarter-final starting line-up. Yet, curiously, he is not fixating on achieving his century at this tournament because, somewhat unexpectedly, he has decided he will play on for the Wallabies next year, assuming Robbie Deans wants him.
"I'll do next year as well," he said. "Physically, I'm feeling very good. I'm definitely keen to play for the Wallabies. I'm contracted with them for 2012 and then I'll make a decision."
It was Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll's "I'll not pass this way again" speech before the Wallabies match that inspired his side to seize its golden opportunity, and it may serve the Australians wonderfully if Sharpe is given the chance to address the team in the coming week.
"We haven't got to that point yet," he cautioned. "We have to get to the quarters and this weekend is important for us. We did some really good things against the USA but we want to really build on that again this weekend."
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news...-1226152254504
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Lets all hope Mr Deans has seen sense...!!!
