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BORDEAUX - The injury-ravaged Wallabies have left their Montpellier World Cup rugby base for the final time with playmaker Stephen Larkham back in their midst.
Larkham, moving around cautiously on crutches, was discharged from hospital this morning and caught a charter flight to Bordeaux with his teammates.
The
102-test veteran, who remains optimistic about his chances of a semifinal return, is one of four backs to miss Saturday's final pool match against Canada.
Centre Scott Staniforth joined Larkham (knee), Stirling Mortlock (shoulder) and Berrick Barnes (quad niggle) on the sidelines after succumbing to a badly bruised shoulder.
Although Australia aren't putting any home-based players on stand-by for Larkham, they are being realistic enough to know the 33-year-old may have played his last test.
Forwards coach Michael Foley said his campaign mostly depended on how quickly the swelling caused by Monday's arthroscope to flush out an infection settled down.
"We'll know a little bit more early next week, but very much there's a chance that he may not play in the tournament again," Foley said.
Veteran fullback Chris Latham said it would be a terribly sad way for the 1999 World Cup winner to bow out.
"It'd be nice to see him come back and play some footy in the World Cup and get what he deserves, which is a farewell final, him playing in it, winning it, so we can give just desserts to a player who has had a great career," Latham said.
The Wallabies based themselves in Montpellier for the first four weeks of their campaign and will spend four days in Bordeaux before heading to Marseille for their October 6 quarter-final.
Canada has made eight changes, including two positional, to the team which drew 12-all against Japan for Saturday's game at Stade Chaban-Delmas.
The Canucks have been competitive in all three pool B matches but are on the verge of coming away from a World Cup without a win for the first time.
The largely second-string Australian outfit are hungry to impress ahead of the play-offs.
Queensland halfback Sam Cordingley will be one "dirt-tracker" with plenty to play for in his first run-on start in the tournament.
Cordingley, who returned to Australia in 2006 after a season in France with Grenoble, can squeeze his way onto the bench for the quarter-final in Marseille with a strong game against the Canucks.
With the selectors looking to keep the Berrick Barnes-Matt Giteau inside-back combination together they are keen to have another option instead of Giteau to cover George Gregan at halfback.
The move would mean reverting to a conventional 4-3 forwards split on the bench which could cost vice-captain Phil Waugh a place in the 22.
- AAP
