News

Burgess ready to fight for Wallaby shirt

October 13 2008

Australian scrum-half Luke Burgess has rated himself as third-choice Wallaby number nine at present, as he continues his comeback from injury.

Burgess, who missed most of this year's Tri-Nations with a knee injury, will return to contact training this week as the Wallabies step up their tour preparations.

The Waratahs half-back rates himself as 'almost 100 per cent', but knows he will have to prove himself all over again to win a place in the starting XV.

At present Sam Cordingley is in the box seat, and Burgess knows a tough battle lies ahead.

"I think assumption is the mother of all stuff ups, so I'm certainly not assuming anything," the six-Test rookie told Fox Sports.

"I'm coming in as probably number three at the moment, behind Sam (Cordingley) and Brett (Sheehan) so it's important that I work as hard as I can and just contribute.

"I think Sam played brilliantly in my absence, his passing is superb, it's so much technically better than mine, and his game management, his experience, his kicking and his overall talk and knowledge is fantastic, he's performed amazingly well."

Burgess has used the time on the sidelines to take a critical look at his own game, identifying several areas he feel need working on.

"I need to improve my kicking and my overall game management as a half-back," he said.

"Being able to continue to challenge myself is what I'm aiming for. I certainly feel more confident with every Test."

For Cordingley, the man Burgess will need to oust from the Wallaby side, this will be his last tour with Australia - which includes playing New Zealand in Hong Kong, before Tests against Italy, England, France and Wales.

At 32 Cordingley knows time is not on his side, and thus is not in a hurry to relinquish the number nine jersey just yet.

"It's obviously going to come down to what the selectors want," said Cordingley, who has 19 caps, 13 of which have come from the bench.

"I'd imagine there's a distinct possibility that he'll (Burgess) be getting a fair bit of game time given the fact that I'll be heading overseas (to France) after this trip.

"That's the reality of it. He's the young guy, I'm the old guy and if there's an opportunity for me to start another Test that would be great and hopefully there is."

Despite the fierce rivalry for the starting shirt, Cordingley said he has a good relationship with Burgess.

"At the end of the day, the best way I can be of assistance to him (Burgess) is to be as competitive as I can," he said.

"If I'm doing that and pushing him at training and he's doing the same to me, then hopefully he's going to become a better half-back.

"But I want to start as many Tests as he does."