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MONTPELLIER - Influential Wallabies Stephen Larkham and Stirling Mortlock will both be fit to start Australia's likely quarter-final against England.
The senior Wallabies and team medic Martin Raftery delivered the good news after five-eighths sensation Berrick Barnes joined them on the sidelines with a quad injury for yesterday's
training session in Montpellier.
There were concerns from many in the 2000-strong Stade Yves Du Manoir crowd when Barnes walked off after a few stretches but the smile on his face when signing autographs afterwards told the true story.
Raftery hosed down initial worries, saying he advised the 21-year-old five-eighths not to train as a precaution if he felt tightness in his upper leg.
"Berrick had some minor tightness in his quad today, [but] nothing that is a great concern," he said.
Barnes, who left Australia as the last player picked in the 30-man squad, is now being treated like fragile goods after his brilliant starting debut in the 32-20 win over Wales.
The Queenslander is set to start in the Wallabies' final two pool B games, including Monday's clash with Fiji here, before Larkham returns from knee surgery.
Raftery said the 102-test veteran, as well as Mortlock (shoulder), would be 100 per cent fit for the quarter-final.
Larkham's arthroscopy, which included the removal of floating bone fragment, proved so successful the medic even suggested he would be playing this weekend if it was a World Cup final.
The 33-year-old vowed to get plenty of time under his belt in the quarter-final to ensure he was confident and prepared for an expected semifinal against the All Blacks.
"It's very good at the moment," he said.
"I'm walking around normally, there's no pain and hardly any swelling and everything is on track so it's a best-case scenario.
"This hasn't set me back either and if anything has made me feel a little bit better."
Larkham and Mortlock are among a number of experienced Australians keen to enjoy some degree of revenge against struggling England, who won the 2003 final with Jonny Wilkinson's extra-time drop goal.
Mortlock admitted the pain in the left shoulder he partially dislocated against Wales worsened as expected but it had improved yesterday.
The Wallabies skipper is looking to by-pass pool matches against Fiji and Canada to be right for the play-offs.
"The mindset is if we give it two weeks of solid rehab then it should be 100 per cent," he said.
Adam Ashley-Cooper (toe) returned to training and finished a low-key 90-minute session and is expected to be fit to take Mortlock's place at centre.
AAP
