In the single greatest piece of positive news for Australia’s World Cup campaign, Chris Latham has today declared that he’s back to 100% fitness after a serious knee injury sat him out of the Super 14 this year.

“[playing in Auckland was] the best thing I could have done. I would have been able to handle it, but I would have been in a different mindset going into the first game on September 8 if I hadn’t climbed that mountain and played in that Auckland Test.”

Is this man from Narrabri in New South Wales really that important to the Wallabies chances of bringing home Bill? Well.. yes! He’s been a solid performer for the Wallabies for many years, though has endured a bad run of selection conflicts with Matt’s, having missed the 99 world cup for Burke and the 03 world cup for Rogers! Latho is a player who can regularly release bucketloads of pressure with unbelievable deeds.

I remember seeing him field a kick completely isolated on our own goalline, with chasers almost on top of him. He steped through three of them to palm off another to work his way back towards our 22 then boot a massive torpedo to set up a lineout on the oppositions 22. The Wallabies have sorely missed those get out of jail opportunities that in the Latho’s abscence Fuxley has done everything in his power to turn into valuable points for the opposition.

He has the biggest boot in World Rugby, and combining Northern Hemisphere conditions with Knuckle-draggers gameplan expect to see plenty of kicking for field position. His heart is the size of Pharlap’s, and he is an inspiration to those around him ; a true leader by example.

This could very well be the New South Welshman’s World Cup. We were good enough to beat the Kiwi’s in Melbourne without him, now watch the Wallaby juggernaut regain momentum as Latho retakes his place at 15.

The major missing piece in our world cup puzzle is now a quality kicker. Can Mortlock step up to the plate? Giteau perhaps? Too late to call up Schicofske?