But I certainly don’t think that Larkham is past anything, although it might well be better not to ask him to play more than half the world cup. What I do think is that the experiment with him at inside centre is worth sticking with, and that putting him back to five-eighth just so they can field a wholly untried centres combination including Morlock at inside where he never plays is thoroughly illogical. Especially when the option is to put someone who just had a great game at five-eighth at five-eighth (Gerrard), someone who is a great footballer and has shown promise (Larkham’s first 25 minutes against Wales were inspiring, and then he went off) at inside, and arguably the world’s best outside centre at outside (Mortlock)!

Then, if you have to play Tuquiri, leave him on the wing that Gerrard (who hasn’t played or trained there in weeks) is getting and rely on the fact that with Larkham’s passing from inside and Gerrard’s kicking from five-eighth Tuquiri will be getting more action on the wing than Mortlock at outside centre.

I don’t know what the answer to the Wallabies’ 5/8 dilemma is. I’m certainly not convinced that Larkham is past it in that position (which seems to be the subtext of your musing), although obviously we need another top class 5/8 to give him a spell occasionally and in case his ageing body gives up the ghost before the World Cup. But one thing I do know, having watched him in both codes for the last decade, is that Mat Rogers is NOT a 5/8.

Maybe Gerrard is an option as you say, maybe Giteau, maybe even Berrick Barnes, although throwing a youngster into the test wringer with so little time before the World Cup would certainly smack of desperation. Then again, we ARE desperate, though more about the front row than the inside backs. I watched the highlights of the Italy match yesterday. I couldn’t bring myself to watch the entire match replay if they were the best bits.

I think the reasoning is completely unsupportable, on any grounds other than that they have their hearts fixed on trying Mortlock and Tuquiri together so they are going ahead with that come hell or high water and logic be damned. I just hope they still win.

Fwiw, the As had a great scrumming performance which moves Stephen Moore right up the pecking order, and apparently Polota-Nau as well. Frankly I would have liked to see at least one of them make the bench now, and perhaps they will, but only if Cannon withdraws. Indeed pretty much the whole team seems to have distinguished themselves, suggesting either that the opposition was weak or that they really wanted to get selected.