The game-breaker

By CHRIS RATTUE

It was the intercept try which helped to break New Zealand rugby hearts, and usher in a new All Black coaching regime.

But Stirling Mortlock, the giant Australian centre who might fairly be rated the world's best, never set his sights on grabbing Carlos Spencer's flat pass just eight minutes into last year's World Cup semifinal in Sydney.

And the way he tells it, the 27-year-old Mortlock has no special plans to go hunting down Spencer passes again in Wellington tomorrow night.

The All Blacks never found their composure after Mortlock galloped almost the length of the Telstra Stadium field that November night, and John Mitchell's coaching reign disintegrated in the Australian centre's dust.

Mortlock says intercepts are not usually his go, and he played down his try as a turning point.

"I never thought I was going for the intercept the whole way - it was a last-second decision," he said.

"I don't think it is the right way of defending. It's something that happened on the night - I just read it - and it's not something I usually try.

"It's such a big play - it either comes off or you come out of it really badly. Luckily it came off, because otherwise I'm sure New Zealand would have scored, and it would have been a big mistake.

"People have said it was pivotal but the way the team defended for the whole 80 minutes and the performance of our forward pack dictated the result."

Mistakes are hardly a word associated with the 100kg Mortlock. He gives the Brumbies and Australia a distinct edge, being one of the few world-class centres.

Injuries have been his one problem area. Australia's Super 12 player of the year for 2002, he missed a major chunk of 2003 after shoulder reconstruction, returning in time for the World Cup. Mortlock's presence, and Tana Umaga's absence, were key factors which tipped the World Cup semifinal Australia's way.

After taking over as the Brumbies captain this year, Mortlock missed the grand-final victory over the Crusaders with the knee injury which had forced him off the field 10 minutes into the semifinal against the Chiefs a week earlier.

It also kept him out of the first test against Scotland, and then he suffered a potentially serious facial injury against the Pacific Islanders.

Mortlock's face was left numb and he feared a major fracture, but after avoiding contact training work last week, he rates himself at 100 per cent.

Apart from injuries, Mortlock rules the midfield, especially with his ability to constantly rumble over the advantage line. He is also a significant try scorer with 18 in 28 tests, and he led a high-scoring Brumbies unit this season.

Once a frontline kicker - he has kicked nearly a century of test points - Mortlock has apparently dropped down the pecking order of late, with Wallaby coach Eddie Jones rating Matt Giteau the best long-term prospect after Joe Roff was sidelined.

Mortlock's clash with the outstanding All Black captain Umaga will be one of tomorrow night's major battlegrounds. Mortlock said that from Australia's point of view, the World Cup was largely forgotten and he did not read much into the games against the Pacific Islanders either.

"We don't necessarily think how the All Blacks played against the Islanders is how they will play against us," he said.

"We're sure they've got some moves they didn't want us to see. And while our first ever game against the Pacific Islanders was really significant and amazing for the Pacific Island nations, our focus this year is on the Bledisloe and Tri-Nations.

"It was more about getting our preparation right for these games coming up.

"There might be some thoughts about the World Cup that come into play, but both teams know this year is pretty different."

And Mortlock said senior Wallabies would share the leadership load, in George Gregan's absence tomorrow night.

"He's a very influential captain and it's been evident already that senior players have picked up the slack," Mortlock said.

Stirling Mortlock

Born: May 20, 1977. Age 27

Height: 1.90m

Weight: 100kg

Position: Centre

International debut: June 17, 2000 v Argentina

Tests: 28

Tries: 18