Nsw Stars Back
Illawarra Mercury
Tuesday April 29, 2003
BIG guns Chris Whitaker and Patricio Noriega are back for the NSW Waratahs' decisive clash with the Highlanders in Dunedin.
Dubbed Super Saturday, the Waratahs and Highlanders match is immediately followed by the ACT Brumbies and Hurricanes in Wellington, with the fate of the Australian semifinal contenders hanging on the outcome of the games.
A loss to the fourth-placed Highlanders would end the sixth-placed Waratahs' hopes, while the fifth-placed Brumbies are essentially out of the running if they go down to the second-placed Hurricanes.
SUPER 12 - BRUMBIES
Matt's deadline
ACT Brumbies inside centre Matt Giteau will be given until the eve of Saturday's must-win clash with the Hurricanes to recover from a leg injury.
Giteau had a further MRI scan on his left leg yesterday, which he injured early in the Brumbies' 45-19 drubbing by the Highlanders last Friday night.
The scan cleared him of a fracture, but he has lateral ligament damage and bruising below the knee.
Saturday's Super 12 clash is virtually sold out with just 200 tickets remaining for the Westpac Stadium , which seats 34,500.
WALLABIES
Push for Latham
REDS coach and former national selector Andrew Slack has no doubt Chris Latham deserves first crack at the Wallaby full-back job ahead of Brumbies rival Joe Roff.
The push is on in earnest for Roff to be picked in the Wallaby No15 jersey, his admirers arguing his magnificent goal kicking this season gives him an edge over Latham, who's been superb for Queensland during the Reds' disappointing Super 12 campaign.
Picking Roff at full-back and goal kicker clears the decks for selectors to choose big-name rugby league acquisitions Wendell Sailor and Lote Tuqiri on the wings.
RUGBY WORLD CUP
US claims spot
THE United States sealed the final spot in this year's World Cup with a convincing win over Spain in their two-leg repechage play-off on Sunday.
The Americans crushed the Spanish Lions 120-16 on aggregate with a 58-3 victory in the return in Fort Lauderdale.
The Eagles, who were relegated to the play-offs after finishing third behind Canada and Uruguay in the Americas qualifying division, advance to pool B in the World Cup alongside 1999 runners-up France, Scotland, Fiji and Japan.
Their two-leg win over Spain means that the World Cup jigsaw is complete with the tournament, played around Australia, due to begin in less than six months.
© 2003 Illawarra Mercury
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