Make room for Turner: Farr-Jones - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Make room for Turner: Farr-Jones

By Caris Bizzaca 25/09/2010 10:08:29 AM Comments (0)

Australian rugby great Nick Farr-Jones believes Robbie Deans must find a permanent place for Lachie Turner in his Wallabies line-up.

Australia's fastest footballer spent almost the entire winter on the outer before being recalled for the Wallabies' 23-22 loss to the All Blacks in this month's final Tri-Nations encounter.

The 23-year-old flyer made the most of his chance, collecting the players' player award in Sydney.

Turner will get one last chance to push for a spot on the spring tour when he steps out for Australia in the Commonwealth Games sevens competition in New Delhi next month.

"I love Lachie Turner as a player. Lachie Turner is someone that I would have central to my team," Farr-Jones told AAP.

"He'd be one of the first I'd pick, (yet) he seems to have been on the fringe."

It's a big call from Farr-Jones, especially considering he also claimed the Wallabies have "got arguably the best backline, individually and hopefully collectively, going around".

There is no doubting the Wallabies could use Turner's fleet of foot.

The NSW Waratahs winger topped off his comeback to Test rugby with victory in last week's Gatorade Bolt 100m sprint against a collection of Australian football's quickest.

Clocking 11.10 seconds, Turner beat Eastwood rugby clubmate John Grant (11.15s) and Parramatta rugby league superstar Jarryd Hayne (11.20s) to win the $20,000 first prize at the Sydney Olympic Stadium.

Turner earned his international recall following an injury to Drew Mitchell.

And with Mitchell, as well as Queensland wingers Peter Hynes and Rod Davies all expected to recover in time for the spring tour, Deans suddenly has a glut of talent to choose from.

He will name a preliminary 40-man squad on Sunday week and then finalise his 36-man travelling group on October 13 for the Wallabies' five-Test, seven-game tour of Hong Kong and Europe.

"We've got a good chunk of rugby and that's the last significant chunk that we'll have prior to the World Cup," Deans said.

Brought to you by AAP AAP © 2024 AAP

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