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Connolly has full squad to choose from

Written by Paul Reid
Monday, 03 September 2007
Australia coach John Connolly said he and his fellow selectors had virtually decided on the team to play Japan in Lyon on Saturday, bar a potential "bit of tinkering" and a final call on the critical tighthead prop position. "The selectors have met already and we've pencilled in the side to be announced on Wednesday," Connolly said on Monday. "There's a little bit of tinkering I suppose in a couple of positions where some players may get a run, which normally we don't do." Connolly said all his players were fit for selection, including captain and outside centre Stirling Mortlock (sore back), lock Dan Vickerman (virus) and tighthead prop Guy Shepherdson (bruised thigh). Vickerman was rested from training on Sunday but both Mortlock and Shepherdson ran with the team at Stade Yves du Manoir. "At the moment we're OK. The minor injury worries we've had, everyone's fit for selection," Connolly said. A decision on the starting tighthead prop would be made on Tuesday night after selectors balanced the strong training form of Al Baxter against lingering fitness doubts over No.1 contender Shepherdson. Shepherdson, 25, had surgery on his right knee before the team left Australia and then suffered deep bruising just above his left knee in a training collision on Saturday. "In our minds we've bracketed Shepherdson and Baxter and we'll make the decision probably tomorrow (Tuesday) night," Connolly said. !