Cool hand Luke biding his time

LUKE FITZGERALD is one of world rugby’s classiest players yet has not managed to hold down a place in his favourite position with either club or country.

He is a certain to make the Irish team against Australia at Croke Park on Sunday week but looks set to once again wear the number 11 jersey in his 12th international.

Since his schooldays at Blackrock College, Fitzgerald has preferred full-back to any other position but the 22-year-old’s versatility has enabled his senior coaches Michael Cheika at Leinster and Eddie O’Sullivan and Declan Kidney with Ireland to play him mainly on the left wing and on occasion in the centre. In those roles he has enjoyed incredible success with province and country and capped an incredible 2009 by touring with the Lions.