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Last month he collected the Australian players' player award - elected by his fellow Wallabies - having already been voted the best Australian player

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Last month he collected the Australian players' player award - elected by his fellow Wallabies - having already been voted the best Australian player in the Super 12 to add to the Stan Pilecki Medal as Queensland player of the year. He has started all eight of the Wallabies' Tests in 2000, and will be a major threat to England's attempts to down the world champions and Tri-Nations holders at Twickenham on Saturday.With no schooling in the game Latham made slow progress at first, earning no more than a dozen appearances on the wing for New South Wales, while Burke had a firm hold on the full-back's jersey Enter John Connolly, then the coach of Queensland. "I saw Chris play as a full-back a couple of times in club games," he recalled "and we signed him for the 1998 season. At that time, the idea that he would oust Matt Burke for the Wallabies would have been crazy. But he deserves all the success he is getting because he works so hard. He has probably changed the way full-backs play."Connolly, now with Stade Français in Paris, believes Australia may suffer against England without the injured halves George Gregan and Steve Larkham, who dictate so much of the pattern.

But in Latham, he says, the Wallabies have a solid last line of defence and an innovative attacker. "If anything, Chris has had to curb his natural willingness to have a go," said Connolly. "He plays up in the line all the time, sitting in behind the five-eighth and centre. From a coach's point of view that can be a danger if there is a turnover, but the wings will cover him.

I believe he is more dangerous than Burke in attack."Connolly describes how Latham would arrive an hour early for training with Queensland, to work on his skills. "He can now kick two-footed, from 22 to 22, or the high bombs to chase And he's deceptively quick for a big bloke. Because he comes from the bush, he did not get the benefits of private- school coaching like most Australians. But he is great to coach, and he is highly receptive to ideas."Latham says his strength is "just getting involved". He has the phlegmatic yet determined air we have come to expect of a Wallaby. "I was picked for the tour here two years ago and played against France and England [a 12-11 win at Twickenham] I didn't do as well as I would have liked. I was a bit gun-shy, not going any further than the basics." Even so, he kept his place in 1999 for the Wallabies' home Tests against Ireland and England - the latter a 22-15 win in Sydney - until Burke returned and retained the No 15 jersey through to the World Cup final.Latham featured just once in the tournament, against the USA "That was tough," he said "A mixed bag of emotions for me.

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