Please wait. Contacting image service... loading

Article text

Kookaburras ready
for a Souths bruiser
By ALWYN NIX
Canberra Kookaburra coach Geoff
Stokes believes that Southern Dis
tricts will try to be very physical in
their NSW rugby union AAMI Cup
match at Forshaw Park in Sydney to
day.
"I've told my players that they
[Souths] will probably use a lot of
unsettling tactics but we won't have
a bar of it," Stokes said.
In pre-season trials the Kookabur
ras faced a Souths combination de
termined to upset their concentration
and for the first 30 minutes, the
Kookaburras looked uncomfortable.
"Souths have shown in the
pre-season that they want to try and
give the new clubs a tough welcome
to the big time," Stokes said.
Despite Souths' tactics and accusa
tions after the trial that Souths had
"tried it on", the Kookaburras gradu
ally took control in the heavy rain
and won comfortably 37-0.
The Kookaburras and Souths have
changed their line-ups since that
match and according to Stokes, 37-0
in a trial is nothing to go on — they
have one of the best backlincs in
Sydney.
Souths' backline includes former
Wallaby fly-half Scott Bowen. half
back Elton Moncrieff, young centre,
Mark Stcherbina and goal kicking
full-back, Andrew Momsen.
"It certainly makes a difference
with some class players — Bowen
Stcherbina and Momsen are experi
enced but some are still learning
about first grade," Souths coach,
Chris Storey said.
The Kookaburra backline is bris
tling with talent that will be looking
to take the last 20 minutes against
Randwick into today's match.
Winger Joe Roff, centre Liam
O'Connor and Wallaby half-back
George Gregan are the dangers for
Souths but it will probably be the
lesser-known Kookaburra backs, fly
half Adam Friend, inside centre Nick
Scrivener and full-back, Rodney Ka
fer, that will surprise Souths.
Kafer has been sound in the
matches this season but it is three
matches since he scored a try.
Stokes included Scrivener in the
starting XV for today after he came
on as a second-half replacement at
inside centre against Randwick last
week.
Liam O'Connor went back to out
side centre for the last 25 minutes
and the Kookaburras began to find
gaps in the Randwick defence.
"Scriv is a good player but the
point is that Liam is proving he is a
very good outside centre and he is
more effective out wider," Stokes
said.
Stokes expects flanker Ipolito Fe
nukitau to shock Souths.
"Ipo is keen, he's training the
house down," Stokes said.
The Kookaburras have named a gi
ant forward pack that totals 890kg
and averages more than 111kg a man
and a line-out with three genuine
"jumpers".
Storey believes that Souths have a
strong scrum and pointed to at least
two tight heads they took against
Easts in a hard fought 27-all draw at
Woollahra Oval last weekend.
If it is true that a good big man
will always beat a good little man,
then Souths forwards could be in for
a torrid afternoon.
The Kookaburras should win com
fortably if they do not allow them-. '
selves to be distracted from the rug
by.
Daramalan, Wests in ACT
season opener; ground no
advantage says Connolly — Page
C1B
$