Rugby: Alexander's packing less

Ben Alexander. Photo / Getty Images

Ben Alexander shed 11kg from his hulking frame while rehabilitating from a serious knee injury - the weight off his mind occurs when the first scrum packs down in tonight's Hong Kong test.

It will be the Wallabies first choice tighthead prop's first test since his knee buckled while playing Fiji at Canberra in June. He is anticipating the first engagement with relish. "I'm feeling good, absolutely ready to rumble," he said.

And just as well, considering the Brumbies forward is about to pack down against one of the sport's leading scrummagers, North Harbour's Tony Woodcock.

Despite spending four months on the sidelines - and then about 100 minutes on the field for his Sydney club side Eastwood, Alexander was optimistic approaching his 20th cap.

"I think it's good to come back against the best," he said. "Straight away I'll know where I'm at and what I need to work on. The All Blacks are the best side in the world for exposing your weaknesses.

"They give you less room for error at scrum time when you're a tighthead. If you make any slight mistake they're the best at exploiting it and punishing you."

The 25-year-old's return to the anchorman role is timely - for the first time this season Wallabies coach Robbie Deans can field Alexander with Australia's premier loosehead Benn Robinson.

Alexander had hoped to be available for the Tri-Nations but the joint was damaged worse than he thought. Still, the four month lay-off was relatively mild compared to the 13 months he lost after breaking a leg in 2005.

Alexander, who has now returned to his fighting weight of 120kg, was confident limited club rugby and training sessions under the watchful eye of former Wallaby Patricio Noriega would be sufficient preparation, and All Blacks hooker Keven Mealamu agreed.

"The worst thing we get hit with after an injury is our confidence," Mealamu said. "You don't want to be in a scrum with a knee under all that pressure thinking to yourself 'I can't cope with this'.

"If you're actually out back out playing, you must feel pretty good."

- NZPA