Holmes sweats for coalface spot

[Burgs]

Holmes sweats for coalface spot

Phil Wilkins
Sunday, May 6, 2007

Rodney Blake has thrown away his crutches and is running again but his Queensland and Test prop forward partner Greg Holmes, Australia's next world-class loose-head, is languishing in rehabilitation solitary.

Blake flew home to Sydney from Brisbane late last month, well on the road to selection in the Australia A team to play Tonga at Aussie Stadium on May 26 after surgery to remove a calcium spur in his foot.

But when Blake left, followed by the Reds squad, bound for South Africa and two final gruelling games in Cape Town and Pretoria, Holmes remained behind, enduring physiotherapy and sweating in isolation in the long, rebuilding process after a shoulder reconstruction.

With the World Cup five months away, Blake's eyes and ambition are focused on returning as Australia's No.3, the third brick in the Test scrummaging front-row wall. His mate is simply clinging to the straw that - with minimal match play and months of running and weights - Australia's selectors will choose him on trust for France.

Holmes's plight of being stuck in a gymnasium after tearing his left shoulder cartilage trying to tackle the Brumbies' lock Mark Chisholm in the Reds' third game is a far cry from the careering, 60-metre, try-scoring hero against Ireland in Perth last June.

Understandably, patience is the hardest word for Holmes, who at 23 has played 11 Tests.

"It's been pretty disappointing and frustrating sitting on the sideline watching, week in, week out," he said. "You want to get out there and help the boys. You keep thinking, 'Could I make a difference if I was out there?'

"It will probably be six months before I play again. I'll be fit to play when the Wallabies leave for the World Cup, but I won't have played any games.

"If I do get named in the World Cup squad, and I'm hoping that happens, the benefit with the break and all the training I've been doing is that I expect to be fitter and stronger than if I'd played all year."

Four loose-heads in Wallabies contention are Benn Robinson, Nick Henderson, Gareth Hardy and Matt Dunning. Al Baxter is the frontrunner for the utility role.

But scrummaging and front-row play provide the coalface of rugby. Rock falls occur. Just ask Brendan Cannon. Holmes is watching and hoping and slaving away.

[Sagerian]

I'd say Holmes would still be first or second choice on faith, even without him getting much of a run (in my view, Benn Robinson and Gareth Hardy are the only others). Just like if Latham happens to come back in time, you'd have to pick him.

Is there really not a better utility prop option than Al Baxter?... I find that hard to believe.

Australia A team to play Tonga at Aussie Stadium on May 26

It's on the 25th.. PHIL!!!!!.... But thanks for scaring me briefly into thinking I couldn't go... arse.

[prop53]

Angus in place of Baxter problem solved.