KEY POINTS:
Even having Chris Latham on the bench for Saturday's Bledisloe Cup-Tri-Nations decider is a risk too far, says former Wallaby great Tim Horan.
Australian coach John Connolly, having toyed with starting Latham at Eden Park, has put the gifted fullback among his reserves on the strength of 1 1/2 club games in Brisbane after a lengthy break for a knee reconstruction.
Horan, who will be speaking at a function in Auckland tomorrow, reckons it is too soon and not worth the risk with the World Cup so close.
"I just think he needs more time," Horan, a World Cup winner in 1991 and 1999, said yesterday.
"If he gets time on the field, he'll do a superb job. But in regards to a knee injury you need to make sure it's structurally right first.
"But mentally you have to be prepared to play 79 minutes against All Blacks. It's not club footy.
"I think Latho's done an unbelievable job to get back on the pitch in six months."
Horan, who played 80 tests from 1989 to 2000 as one of the world's great midfield backs, believes the knee is structurally sound.
"I'm certain of that. But it's the mental buildup and progression of playing games of rugby to get yourself back to where you want to be," he added.
He reckons Latham will have a club final next week, and needs another couple of games after that.
"As an outsider looking in, it's fantastic to have him back," he said.
"But I think he needs a few more games to get himself mentally back to where he was."
Connolly, a fellow Queenslander, was unimpressed with Horan's criticism of the decision to put Latham back in the 22.
"I left a message for him this morning. I said 'what are you up to?" Connolly said, before admitting there was a risk to including the electric-running fullback in his 22.
"He could get injured in this game as he could in any other game, that's not really an issue.
"He's fit to play footy. The skill issue is the biggest issue for me. It takes time to bring your skills up to the level he's had to play at."
