Lockyer to be rested for France Test

[Super Cronk]

Australian captain Darren Lockyer will be rested from the Kangaroos' one-off rugby league Test against France in Perpignan this weekend.

St George Illawarra five-eighth Trent Barrett is the most likely replacement for the Brisbane playmaker.

Coach Wayne Bennett on Monday confirmed that Lockyer would be rested to give other players a chance to vie for the Tri Nations title defence at the end of the month.

He now has to decide whether to give Scott Prince another run at halfback inside Barrett or to have a look at a Craig Gower-Barrett combination with the Penrith halfback likely to get a chance to push his claims.

Bennett will give the six unused players - Gower and forwards Nathan Hindmarsh, Andrew Ryan, Trent Waterhouse and Ben Creagh plus winger Eric Grothe - their opportunity to push for selection in the French Test against a side sure to be well prepared by their Australian coach John Monie.

While Steve Price is also to be rested against France so he can recover from niggling injuries, fellow prop Petero Civoniceva has put his hand up to play again.

Civoniceva carved out some hard yards in Saturday's 20-6 Tri Nations win over Great Britain but he's keen to keep playing to be more match-toughened for the Tri Nations final on November 26 in Leeds.

Mark O'Meley is likely to partner Civoniceva in the front row.

Bennett will use the Test against France and the Kangaroos' final Tri Nations round robin clash with Great Britain in Hull on November 19 to decide his line-up for the final - in all likelihood against New Zealand which leads the competition table.

Grothe could get a start on Brent Tate's wing while Hindmarsh will start in the second row, looking to reclaim the Test jumper he lost because of the knee injury suffered on the eve of the NRL finals.

Willie Mason will be hoping for more playing time in France after showing some excellent signs against Great Britain.

He realises Hindmarsh, if he gets through Friday's Test strongly, and Craig Fitzgibbon have the jump on him for a second row spot in the final but more good form could convince Bennett he has something to offer.

"I'm a bit underdone but that was a pretty good hit out," said Mason after playing most of the second half against Great Britain off the bench and featuring in a game-saving play 10 minutes from full time.

"I was pretty happy. I didn't let anyone down.

"With Hiney (Hindmarsh) coming back, he and Craig (Fitzgibbon) are probably the premier back-rowers in the world.

"You need blokes ahead of you, it makes you play a bit better."

SMH.com.au

[Steelers]

Understandable to see players getting rested. I really hope this game gets some sort of telecast here in Australia.

[Dakink]

Thread now closed as it is irrelevant with Locky being injured