This is from the Australian

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...012430,00.html



HE fell one spot short of World Cup selection yesterday but Western Force rugby league convert Ryan Cross still rated his debut season of rugby union a success.

There was no doubt professional rugby was an itch Cross was always longing to scratch during his nine seasons of league with the Sydney Roosters. A former Australian Schoolboys rugby representative, he had always wondered just how he might have fared in the 15-a-side code.

But there was no denying the real impetus to his switch back to union was the World Cup and while the 27-year-old centre did not quite make it, he drew some satisfaction yesterday from knowing he basically missed out on the last backline position by the toss of a coin.

The choice came down to him, a centre, or Reds five-eighth Berrick Barnes. While halfbacks George Gregan and Sam Cordingley are the only players among the 13 Cup backs not capable of switching to another position, the balance of versatility meant what the squad needed most was a back-up five-eighth.

"Obviously it's a big opportunity missed for me," Cross said. "I don't think I did much wrong this year and to come one tick away from making the World Cup squad, I'd have to rate it a successful season.

"Hopefully I can have a good off-season and play strongly for the Force next year. It took me a little while to adjust to rugby but next year things should come more instinctively and I'll definitely improve."

Waratahs prop Benn Robinson could only console himself with the thought that he could devote the off-season to building himself up after missing out to Reds rival Greg Holmes for the second loosehead berth. The perception is that, at 183cm and 113kg, Robinson is too small for a Test loosehead but he is only 3kg lighter than Holmes and 5kg shy of All Blacks No.1 Tony Woodcock.

But after playing three Tests in the domestic series, against Wales and Fiji, Robinson was not given a look-in for the Tri-Nations, with the selectors clearly concerned about his ability to cope with the Springboks and All Blacks front rows.

"Well, I see some similarities between myself and Dan Crowley, who is about my size and played in a World Cup final (against France in 1999) so I'm drawing some inspiration from him," Robinson said. "Obviously I'm disappointed but I'll keep my head up. I enjoy a challenge."

Arguably the most talented player to miss Cup selection is Waratahs hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau. Once the selectors determined it was unlikely he would edge ahead of either Stephen Moore or Adam Freier as starting hooker, the decision then came down to who would make the more reliable bench player, Polota-Nau or Reds journeyman Sean Hardman.

Certainly there is nothing flashy about Hardman's game but he demonstrated more than once under the pressure of the Tri-Nations tournament that he could be pitched into the battle and be relied upon to deliver his lineout throws to the right spot and to orchestrate a solid Wallabies scrum.

Around the field, his game pales in comparison with Polota-Nau's but Test hookers live or die on their set-piece work and Hardman scores considerably higher at scrum and lineout time.

Clearly what Polota-Nau needs more than anything is more Super 14 game time but while he remains the understudy to Freier at the Waratahs, he is going to struggle to bring his set pieces up to the exceptional level of his general game.

Wallabies coach John Connolly rejected suggestions that his insistence on Rodney Blake having an ankle operation midway through the Super 14 season cost the giant Reds tighthead a World Cup berth, with Al Baxter claiming the fourth propping spot.

"If Rodney hadn't had the surgery, he wouldn't have been able to walk by June," Connolly said.