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Ioane in line for dream debut
By Jim Tucker
May 29, 2007
QUEENSLAND-bound wing Digby Ioane is set to make his Test debut for Australia against Wales on Saturday night but the make up of the remainder of the Wallabies backline remains a mystery.
Ioane's staccato steps and rapid direction shifts have the potential to make him a huge crowd favourite, and Suncorp Stadium fans are likely to get the first sight of him in a Test.
For long-suffering Reds followers in the stands, his appearance will also offer a glimpse of a brighter future because Ioane, 21, has signed a two-year deal to return to Brisbane after two seasons showing his exciting promise with Western Force.
At training at Ballymore yesterday, Ioane ran in the nominal second Test backline - which included fly half Steve Larkham for 30 minutes, but there was no sign of Matt Giteau.
Drew Mitchell (stomach upset) was taking it easy on the tackle shields, so Mark Gerrard may miss out on the wing.
Giteau was spelled before the completion of the warm-ups because of a tweaked knee ligament - a carry-over from his high-energy exertions at halfback in the first Test escape last Saturday.
Wallabies coach John Connolly dismissed the Giteau episode as precautionary, and he was certain the backline spark would both train today and be fit for selection.
Connolly meanwhile fanned the mystery over whether Giteau would play at halfback or revert to inside centre outside the old firm of George Gregan and a fit-again Larkham.
Many judges are tipping Gregan to start, but the selectors must play Giteau again at halfback inside Larkham.
If Giteau's position at halfback is a serious new direction for the backline, it must be bedded down because the new, multiple-option attacking waves that can ignite the Wallabies need to be super-slick. Such a decision also gives a fairer shot at assessing Adam Ashley-Cooper at inside centre.
Larkham is itching to play.
"It's very promising," he said.
"I got through 30 minutes with the team and I wasn't feeling (the hamstring) at all."
Connolly may make five changes after the rusty first-up effort to stay true to his promise to audition most of the 30-man squad in the opening three Tests of the season.
Ioane and Larkham are likely to come into the backline, flanker George Smith will rotate into action for first Test captain Phil Waugh, comeback lock Dan Vickerman is ready to start, and a front-row change is possible.
"It's time to step things up for Dan," Connolly said of Vickerman.
"He's come off the bench in a couple of club games and the first Test so he's definitely in consideration."
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