Long wait over for Horne

Richard Horne thought he had flown halfway 一連の会議、交渉／完成する the world for nothing until Sean Long's sensational 出発 from 広大な／多数の／重要な Britain's Gillette Tri-Nations squad this week.

"It was beginning to look as if I had come all this way just to watch," said the 船体 FC scrumhalf, a homespun hero, when the Lions arrived in Brisbane on Thursday.

広大な／多数の／重要な Britain's 激しい 敗北・負かす by New Zealand in Wellington last 週末 支配するd out any chance of coach Brian Noble 残り／休憩（する）ing some of his 設立するd players in their rematch with Australia here on Saturday.

Noble cannot afford to 賭事 in what will be 広大な／多数の／重要な Britain's last game in the tournament unless they 避ける 敗北・負かす.

"Even when Sean decided to go home 早期に I had 競争 for his place from 略奪する Burrow and thought the best I could hope for was a seat on the （法廷の）裁判 on Saturday," said Horne.

Instead, the 24-year-old 勝利，勝つs his 11th cap and only the second in his favourite scrumhalf position when the Lions try for an almost unheard of second 連続する 勝利，勝つ over the world 支持する／優勝者s and a place in the final in Sydney on Saturday week.

"I know 略奪する is disappointed because he has not yet had a game yet either but he was one of the first to congratulate me after Brian Noble told me I was in the starting line up.

"I played at scrumhalf against Australia on my own club's ground in last season's Tri-Nations and 得点する／非難する／２０d my first international try. But we lost and 行方不明になるd out on the final.

"It has been a long wait to get 支援する into the 広大な／多数の／重要な Britain 味方する and after the season Sean has had with St Helens and the way he played against Australia in Sydney, I couldn't see myself getting a call up.

"It is very 失望させるing when you are so used to starting every week for your club and all you are doing here is sitting on the sidelines watching the tournament 広げる. But this 適切な時期 has come up and I can't wait to take it.

"I have played on the wing, centre, and even come on at hooker for 広大な／多数の／重要な Britain in the past but this is what I 手配中の，お尋ね者 - another 適切な時期 in my favourite position.

"It is not for me to comment on the Sean Long 状況／情勢. Things happen on 小旅行する. We are a pretty の近くに bunch but not that の近くに that he would talk to us about his personal problems.

"I think he talked to one or two of the St Helens lads about wanting to go home and he's a big loss but he's gone now and, as a squad, we have to 焦点（を合わせる） on the 職業 in 手渡す."

Horne will partner 物陰／風下d Rhinos stand-off Danny McGuire. They have never played together except in training and McGuire made so little 衝撃 と一緒に the even more disappointing Long in Wellington that he was 代用品，人d for most of the second half.

Yet the 23-year-old, who burst の上に the international scene in the 2004 Tri-Nations, （機の）カム on 小旅行する with a spring in his step after 回復するing from the 向こうずね splints that 軍隊d him to 行方不明になる six of his club's games.

Neither of them is fazed by the size of the challenge on Saturday when Australia, already through to the final but with their pride 負傷させるd by 広大な／多数の／重要な Britain's 23-12 勝利，勝つ over them a fortnight ago, 推定する／予想する their 今後 力／強力にする and the class of 船長／主将 Darren Lockyer and half-支援する partner Jonathan Thurston to give the Lions an 反対する lesson. And a booting.

McGuire, whose girlfriend Lauren 飛行機で行くs in on Friday to watch the game, has been saddled this week with the 付加 責任／義務 of goal kicking and says: "I have only kicked three or four for 物陰／風下d this season so I hope they are all in 前線 of the 地位，任命するs.

"First we will have to 得点する／非難する／２０ some tries against the world 支持する／優勝者s. I couldn't get going last week and was 代用品，人d in the second half. At least I have another chance to make 修正するs.'

Noble says it was a 堅い call to choose between Horne and Burrow for the No 7 jersey but feels McGuire and Horne have worked 井戸／弁護士席 together in training this week.

"They complement each other with Danny stepping up to the plate in taking over Long's 役割 as organiser. Now they have to show they can do it for a 十分な 80 minutes.

"Richard is better equipped than when he （機の）カム into the team against Australia last season but I am 推定する／予想するing a 抱擁する game from both of them."

Australia: 追跡（する）; Tate, Gasnier, Hodges, Inglis; Lockyer (captain), Thurston; 道具, Smith, Civoniceva, Ryan, Hindmarsh, O'Donnell. Subs: Berrigan, Tupou, O'Meley, Kaufusi.

広大な／多数の／重要な Britain: Wellens; Pryce, Gleeson, 上級の, Raynor; McGuire, Horne; Fielden, Newton, Peacock (captain), Hock, Ellis, O'Loughlin. Subs: Roby, Morley, Gilmour, Wilkin.