Douglas fighting to get Wallaby spot back
Jul 26, 2017 - 4:32 AM Kane Douglas is convinced he can play more Tests despite sliding from World Cup final starter and out of the Queensland side into club rugby.Douglas was overlooked by Wallabies coach Michael Cheika for the three June Tests, but was last week named in the extended 38-man training squad for the Rugby Championship.
The 28-year-old lock has fallen out of favour at Test and state levels, after starting six of the Wallabies' seven 2015 World Cup matches.
The emergence of Adam Coleman and Rory Arnold and the resurgence of Sam Carter, has pushed Douglas and fellow Reds' lock Rob Simmons, the other World Cup final starting lock, down Cheika's second-row pecking order.
But Cheika has given both Douglas and Simmons, who he also overlooked in June, a potential international lifeline by including them in the extended training squad.
Douglas started just seven Super Rugby games this year and found himself in club rugby, as Reds coach Nick Stiles gave plenty of opportunities to Izack Rodda and Lukhan Tui.
"I've been trying to do everything I can to get back into the Reds team to get back in the Wallabies team," Douglas told AAP on the phone from the squad camp in Newcastle.
"I still think I've got a few good years left in me and I can still play my best footy, hopefully that's still in front of me.
"I'm loving being back involved (with the Wallabies) and I'm just trying to do what I can and improve on a few things this week.
"Hopefully when the squad gets culled down a bit I might be left standing, but I've just got to do my best while I'm here, it's all I can do."
Cheika believes 31-times capped Douglas has something to offer at international level.
"With Kane, there's a bit of me there just saying 'I know what this guy can do, and I want to have the chance at least to get him back at that level," Cheika said last week.
Asked if Cheika had told him to work on any particular facets of his game Douglas said: "I had a good chat with him one day.
"It was more about me just putting my hand up and getting stuck in."
Source: AAP
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