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How Cordingley kept his cool

Tuesday 26th August 2008

Sam Cordingley: Cool head

Sam Cordingley's non-reaction to a headbutt from CJ van der Linde - one that will probably rule the Bok prop out of the rest of the Tri-Nations due to suspension - epitomised the Australian approach to last Saturday's 27-15 victory in Durban.

Cordingley said he didn't know if the contact had been accidental or not, but did conceed he had been lucky to already be moving away from the ball when Van der Linde came flying in.

But the level-headed and patient reaction was just what Australia took into the game; waiting for their opposition to make mistakes and keep a lid on the defence. It paid a handsome dividend: if Australia can repeat the feat in Johannesburg this weekend, the Tri-Nations is their's for the taking.

"When he struck me in the game I knew that it was with his head, but did not know at the time if it was an accident," the 32-year-old said to Independent Newspapers this week.

"The first time he had come at me I had seen him coming, and before the second occasion I started to back away because the referee told me to release the ball, so luckily it was more of a glancing blow than a direct strike.

"(But) there was not a lot of that stuff. While you had the impression that the Boks were very anxious to win, the game was more physical (as opposed to foul) than anything else. The breakdowns were very physical. It was very much the sort of Test you expect in South Africa, whether they are on a losing streak or a winning one."

Cordingley was brought into the team to add experience in a key position following the loss to injury of the rather greener Luke Burgess, and the half-back combination of he and Giteau controlled the game adroitly for long periods.

"Because of our positions, Gits (fly-half Matt Giteau) and I do a fair amount of directing people around, and with the team looking to us continually, we need to stay composed and ensure we do not lose our heads," he continued.

Cordingley, who moves to Grenoble in France at the culmination of this year's tournament, said he expected a thriller in Johannesburg this weekend, going on the number of opportunities created by the teams in the Durban clash.

"It is going to be another great occasion. To play in front of these huge crowds in these famous stadiums is an honour," Cordingley said.

"Wins here have been at a premium for us. So to have won in Durban, and now have the opportunity of winning back-to-back matches, is very exciting. We are really looking forward to the opportunity, and if we can pull it off it would be terrific."