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Controversy rather than celebration has followed Chris Latham into his long-awaited test comeback tomorrow.
The 72-test Wallabies fullback will return off the bench against the All Blacks at Eden Park, six months after knee reconstruction surgery.
It is surely one of the lightest Bledisloe Cup preparations - just
120 minutes of club rugby for Gold Coast in the Queensland premier competition.
But while Latham and his army of fans are rejoicing at a comeback three months ahead of schedule, others have slammed the Wallabies selectors for risking one of their prized assets just two months out from the World Cup.
"It's an unfair call on Chris. People who understand knee reconstructions will know it's amazing he's already playing so soon," former Wallabies midfielder Tim Horan told the Daily Telegraph. "Mentally this is a massive step, and a step too early in my opinion."
Latham's club coach, former All Blacks winger Grant Batty, said: "To win the World Cup they need [Latham] to be at his very best. How do you ensure he's at his very best? Playing now doesn't ensure that and there's a risk that isn't worth taking."
Coach John Connolly admitted his hand was forced by fullback Julian Huxley's bizarre thigh injury, suffered when tackled by a teammate at a party.
Connolly even wanted to start Latham in No 15 but was reportedly talked out of it by his fellow selectors Scott Johnson and Michael O'Connor.
The coach felt Latham, 31, was less of a risk than Adam Ashley-Cooper, who will start in his fourth different backline position for the Wallabies this season.
"Rusty is the best way of describing him," said Connolly. "But he went out as the world's best fullback and his positional play, his courage, all those things are still in place."
One who might quietly take issue with the "world's best" tag, All Black Mils Muliaina, welcomed the return of his regular foe.
"Early reports were saying he wouldn't even make the World Cup, so good on him, he's a real asset to the Australian team. He's a classy player and hopefully he's a little bit rusty because he's definitely a potent weapon."
"It's been a very long, hard, difficult, tiring last six months," said Latham. "I cherish the fact I'm on the field and I'm playing. I'm over the moon."
He pronounced himself physically 100 per cent, saying he had started test matches in worse nick.
- NZPA
