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The dark side of sport
The world of sport is not always celebrated. Controversies often plunge the games into darkness.
Bulls the worst champs?
The Bulls are the reigning Super 14 champions. But they are in danger of imploding in 2008.Horan blasts Latham return
Posted Wed, 18 Jul 2007
Double Rugby World Cup winner Tim Horan has blasted the Wallabies selectors for 'unfairly' rushing Australian fullback Chris Latham back into Test action.
Latham was on Tuesday named on the Wallaby bench for Saturday's Tri-Nations and Bledisloe Cup finale against the All Blacks at Eden Park, despite not having played a top level match in 2007 after ripping his anterior cruciate ligament in pre-season training with the Queensland Reds.
Horan — who suffered a serious knee injury in 1994, before going on to play a bit-part role at the 1995 RWC — told the Daily Telegraph: "Latho is the most courageous player we have at the moment, but I'm thinking about his build-up to the World Cup and his longevity in the game.
"It's an unfair call on Chris. People who understand knee reconstructions will know it's amazing he's already playing so soon.
"This would be like asking Darren Lockyer, when he comes back from his knee injury, to play two Queensland Cup games and then go straight into State of Origin."
He continued: "Mentally this is a massive step and a step too early in my opinion.
"The whole idea was to get Latho back for the World Cup, and that's on track. But he needs another couple of games at a lower level."
Latham, a veteran of 72 Tests and a former team-mate of Horan's at Super 12 and international level, has played just one-and-a-half club games since being forced to undergo a knee reconstruction in January.
"The rule when you're on the bench is that you've got to be prepared to play 79 minutes if someone goes down at the start," added Horan, the Player of the '99 World Cup.
"Latho would never let Australia down, but is he ready for that?"
365
