By Alex Brown
Thursday, October 2, 2003
Since entering the Wallabies' pre-World Cup camp, Mat Rogers has trained at fullback. Exclusively. No centres drills. No wing-specific training routines.
"Nothing has had to be said, it's a pretty strong indication that if I'm going to play anywhere in the first game, it'll be fullback or the bench," Rogers said. "I can't see myself playing in No.13, not having run there for the last three weeks at training."
Rogers has experienced only brief performances in the No.15 jersey, playing fullback for NSW on occasion and once for the Wallabies in Buenos Aires last year.
In that encounter with Argentina, against whom Australia open their World Cup campaign on October 10, the dual international suffered a rib cartilage injury that effectively ended his tour.
But with coach Eddie Jones uninspired by Chris Latham and Matt Burke during Australia's World Cup build-up, Rogers has emerged as the front-runner to fill the high-pressure position, with Stirling Mortlock tipped to start the tournament as outside-centre, despite his six-month injury-enforced lay-off.
The positional shuffling has its critics but Rogers seems unfazed.
"I had a game at fullback in club rugby before I came into camp, which was really good," he said. "I think it suits my game more than anything. There's a bit more time and space, rather than having the defence right up in your face. After playing a bit of 13 and fullback, I'd say fullback would definitely be my preference.
"I feel pretty comfortable. It's not a concern that I've played in a few different positions. It does have its disadvantages when they could put you on the bench because you can play anywhere. But it also gives me the opportunity to experience rugby from different perspectives and, being new to the game, that's helped me. I came over to rugby for the World Cup and also because I was sick of being stuck on the wing for Cronulla. It would be nice to play one position for the entire World Cup, though."
In his only previous world cup - the rugby league version three years ago - Rogers enjoyed positional stability, playing four Tests on the wing and collecting a tournament-best 70 points.
But he pays little credence to the "international feel" of that tournament. For starters, the Kangaroos prepared for the 2000 event with an 82-0 victory over Papua New Guinea and a 108-0 win over the New Zealand Residents. On the other hand, the Wallabies' lead-up this year included Tests against Ireland, Wales and England before a gruelling Tri Nations campaign.
And there are more subtle differences. "I remember we went into [Kangaroos] camp and had two T-shirts given to us," Rogers said. "I thought, 'Gee, this is fantastic. It's meant to be the showpiece of the ARL and we get two T-shirts. That's great'. But here they're so meticulous with the whole preparation. It's exciting. You don't have to do anything except train or play.
"[At the rugby league world cup] we knew all we had to do was play well in one game, and that was the final. Holding the world cup was great. But there wasn't much interest in it other than from us who were playing in it and our families watching it. A month ago, the hype of this tournament outweighed the hype of the rugby league world cup at its peak."
While on the subject of league, Rogers is hopeful of a Penrith victory in Sunday's grand final - Martin Lang, Preston Campbell and coach John Lang being all former Cronulla allies. But such thoughts, for the most part, are secondary. For Rogers is less than a fortnight away from playing a side renowned for physical, even underhanded, tactics.
And fullbacks are the most exposed players on the field.
"These teams have got to play rough and tumble to try and put us off our game because they know if we play well, they're in a lot of trouble," he said. "If you go out there and react to it, you probably shouldn't be out there. You've just got to get on with your job.
"We've got another [internal trial] game on Friday and the side will be picked early next week. I don't think anyone, barring George Gregan, has got any indication of how they're going to be slotted in."
Except Rogers, for whom it's fullback or bust.
Thursday, October 2, 2003
Since entering the Wallabies' pre-World Cup camp, Mat Rogers has trained at fullback. Exclusively. No centres drills. No wing-specific training routines.
"Nothing has had to be said, it's a pretty strong indication that if I'm going to play anywhere in the first game, it'll be fullback or the bench," Rogers said. "I can't see myself playing in No.13, not having run there for the last three weeks at training."
Rogers has experienced only brief performances in the No.15 jersey, playing fullback for NSW on occasion and once for the Wallabies in Buenos Aires last year.
In that encounter with Argentina, against whom Australia open their World Cup campaign on October 10, the dual international suffered a rib cartilage injury that effectively ended his tour.
But with coach Eddie Jones uninspired by Chris Latham and Matt Burke during Australia's World Cup build-up, Rogers has emerged as the front-runner to fill the high-pressure position, with Stirling Mortlock tipped to start the tournament as outside-centre, despite his six-month injury-enforced lay-off.
The positional shuffling has its critics but Rogers seems unfazed.
"I had a game at fullback in club rugby before I came into camp, which was really good," he said. "I think it suits my game more than anything. There's a bit more time and space, rather than having the defence right up in your face. After playing a bit of 13 and fullback, I'd say fullback would definitely be my preference.
"I feel pretty comfortable. It's not a concern that I've played in a few different positions. It does have its disadvantages when they could put you on the bench because you can play anywhere. But it also gives me the opportunity to experience rugby from different perspectives and, being new to the game, that's helped me. I came over to rugby for the World Cup and also because I was sick of being stuck on the wing for Cronulla. It would be nice to play one position for the entire World Cup, though."
In his only previous world cup - the rugby league version three years ago - Rogers enjoyed positional stability, playing four Tests on the wing and collecting a tournament-best 70 points.
But he pays little credence to the "international feel" of that tournament. For starters, the Kangaroos prepared for the 2000 event with an 82-0 victory over Papua New Guinea and a 108-0 win over the New Zealand Residents. On the other hand, the Wallabies' lead-up this year included Tests against Ireland, Wales and England before a gruelling Tri Nations campaign.
And there are more subtle differences. "I remember we went into [Kangaroos] camp and had two T-shirts given to us," Rogers said. "I thought, 'Gee, this is fantastic. It's meant to be the showpiece of the ARL and we get two T-shirts. That's great'. But here they're so meticulous with the whole preparation. It's exciting. You don't have to do anything except train or play.
"[At the rugby league world cup] we knew all we had to do was play well in one game, and that was the final. Holding the world cup was great. But there wasn't much interest in it other than from us who were playing in it and our families watching it. A month ago, the hype of this tournament outweighed the hype of the rugby league world cup at its peak."
While on the subject of league, Rogers is hopeful of a Penrith victory in Sunday's grand final - Martin Lang, Preston Campbell and coach John Lang being all former Cronulla allies. But such thoughts, for the most part, are secondary. For Rogers is less than a fortnight away from playing a side renowned for physical, even underhanded, tactics.
And fullbacks are the most exposed players on the field.
"These teams have got to play rough and tumble to try and put us off our game because they know if we play well, they're in a lot of trouble," he said. "If you go out there and react to it, you probably shouldn't be out there. You've just got to get on with your job.
"We've got another [internal trial] game on Friday and the side will be picked early next week. I don't think anyone, barring George Gregan, has got any indication of how they're going to be slotted in."
Except Rogers, for whom it's fullback or bust.
