Genia poised for final test at 'home'

When Will Genia was a young man making his first start for the Wallabies at Suncorp Stadium he never imagined a day he wouldn’t be playing in a gold jersey.

Genia still burns about a disallowed try from that 2009 Test against South Africa where he made his first run-on start but the match ended in victory.

On Saturday, Genia is poised to play his final Test at the Brisbane stadium where he has enjoyed some of the greatest moments of his rugby career.

In 2011 he was part of the Australia team which defeated New Zealand in the final Tri-Nations match and he lined up against the British and Irish Lions in their tour opener at the venue in 2013.

“You just never think it’s going to end. You think you’re always going to be coming back here playing in front of great crowds, wearing the gold jersey,” he said.

“It’s not that you take it for granted, you’re just young.

“You just don’t understand that everything is finite and that it will come to an end at some point.”

Genia may be preparing to play in Brisbane for the final time against Argentina on Saturday but his international career won’t end until the Wallabies World Cup campaign comes to a conclusion later this year.

A third World Cup is a fitting reward for the 101-Test veteran, who says regardless of Saturday’s result the clash with the Pumas will become another memorable Suncorp Stadium moment.

“Suncorp’s always been my favourite place to play in all of world rugby and I’ve had some really good memories there from a team perspective and an individual perspective as well,” the ex-Wallabies captain said.

“It’ll be sad, no doubt, but it’ll also be very exciting to hopefully, if I get the opportunity to get out there and have one last crack.”

– AAP