Wallabies hooker keen on English revenge - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Wallabies hooker keen on English revenge

By Adrian Warren 13/10/2010 07:40:59 PM Comments (0)

Emerging Wallabies hooker Saia Faingaa is keen to extract some spring tour payback against the England team after they gave Australia's rookie international front rowers a torrid test baptism earlier this year.

Reds rake Faingaa was among a group of Test rookie front rowers who underwent a searching examination of their credentials in two Tests against England in Perth and Sydney back in June.

Faingaa and props Ben Daley and Salesi Ma'afu were part of an Australian unit frequently pushed backwards in the scrum battles by the vastly more experienced English eight, but improved markedly as the season progressed.

After being bullied by England, Faingaa hoped it would be the Australian scrum doing the pushing in future Tests against the other leading nations.

The Wallabies are scheduled to meet England in the third match of their seven game spring tour at Twickenham on November 13.

"To play against England would be a dream of mine, I guess to get a little bit of payback," Faingaa said on Wednesday.

"In saying that, at the end of the day I've got to be relying on my ability and focus on my job, which is to run the scrum and control things.

"I didn't put myself in the best position at the time and now I've learnt a lot from guys like (Wallabies hooker) Stephen (Moore) and talking to older guys like (former Wallabies hooker) Sean Hardman."

Faingaa said the return from injury of more established front rowers like Moore, Benn Robinson, and Ben Alexander had increased competition and depth among the Wallabies front row contingent.

Faingaa's twin brother, Anthony, is also hopeful of hearing his name read out on Thursday as part of the Wallabies' 36-man touring squad.

Inside back Anthony had been working on his goal kicking with former Springbok Braam van Straaten.

Anthony was a regular goal kicker during his junior days and was backup to Quade Cooper for the Reds this season, but wasn't required.

"If I can kick, place kick, punt kick, whatever I can do I will do," Anthony Faingaa said.

"He (van Straaten) has helped me 100 per cent, so hopefully (it will) push my spot in the (spring tour) team.

Anthony kicked a crucial field goal in Australia's 2006 world under-19 final championship winning team captained by Saia.

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