Rugby League Coaching Manuals

By Margie McDonald & Brent Read The Australian - Johnathan Thurston will be restored to halfback when the Australian team is named today for Sunday's final World Cup pool game against Papua New Guinea. His partner in the halves on Sunday will be Canberra five-eighth Terry Campese, who will represent Australia in the footsteps of his uncle, David Campese, a Wallabies great.

After attending the funeral of his uncle, Richard Saunders, in Brisbane on Monday, Thurston will now wear the national colours for the first time in front of his home crowd at Townsville's Dairy Farmers Stadium.

Thurston returned to the Kangaroos camp in north Queensland yesterday.

Thurston was ruled out of last Sunday's game against England because of shoulder bruising, sustained against New Zealand in Australia's opening Cup match.

Scott Prince stepped into the No7 jersey with ease but will be relegated to the bench against the Kumuls.

Coach Ricky Stuart confirmed he would rest five-eighth Darren Lockyer.

The captain has a cork on his left biceps muscle, but will be available for the semi-finals on November 15 and 16.

Stuart announced after the 52-4 thumping of England that he consider giving his reserves a run in Townsville.

The Thurston-Campese partnership will be the seventh halves combination in 12 Tests under Stuart, whose reign as national coach began in May 2006.

Although Prince, who is room-mates with Campese, will get his fourth Test jumper off the bench, some might see his demotion as tough after he produced an assured performance in the lopsided win over England.

Body: But it wasn't enough to hold the No7 jersey.

Prince, the Gold Coast co-captain, said he was looking forwards to playing for Australia in front of his friends and family.

Among the relatives making the trek to Dairy Farmers Stadium will be Prince's grandmother from Mt Isa.

"It's great to be playing a Test up here especially when it feels like I am a bit of a local boy," the Mt Isa-born Prince said.

"I've got a lot of family here. That makes it a special occasion."

Prince played three seasons with the Cowboys before joining Brisbane. He sat out the Kangaroos' opening win over New Zealand but was given an opportunity to play against England because of Thurston's injury.

Prince started slowly but finished with eight goals as Australia pounded England in the second half.

"The last Test I played (before Sunday night) was in 2005," Prince said.

"There were a few nerves running through the body. I was pretty nervous in that first half. It probably showed a little bit in my game.

"In the second half, I felt really at home and felt like I belonged."

In other team changes, Manly's David Williams is expected to start on the wing, pushing Joel Monaghan into the centres so Greg Inglis can be rested.

New father Billy Slater, who also scored a hat-trick of tries alongside Inglis against the Lions, was given permission to remain in Melbourne with his partner Nicole and baby daughter, Tyler.

While the Melbourne fullback is expected to return to the squad before the game, he too is expected to be rested, allowing Karmichael Hunt to start at No1.

The interest in today's team announcement will be which forwards Stuart rests to allow reserves such as uncapped Anthony Watmough and 15-Test veteran Craig Fitzgibbon to have their first run in the World Cup.

In Lockyer's absence, hooker Cam Smith would be expected to take over as captain.