Christian Cullen is back where he belongs and Chris Latham is relishing the challenge.

The in-form Wallaby rated All Black Cullen as the benchmark of fullbacks and said he was wasted on the wing and in the centres last season.

Cullen agreed, insisting he'd rather not play at all than take the field anywhere other than fullback, and both players promised an exciting battle in the open spaces in Saturday night's Bledisloe Cup Test at Stadium Australia.

The Australian Super 12 player of the year, Latham has taken his form for Queensland into the international arena as he does everything he can to keep the Wallaby No.15 jumper ahead of the injured Matt Burke. He understood the frustration Cullen experienced last season after himself spending 1997 on the wing for New South Wales behind Burke before migrating north to take Queensland's fullback spot and force his way into Wallaby calculations.

"This is where I've always wanted to be," Latham said. "Rugby is now such a free-flowing game and even more from fullback. You can float around the field and pop up anywhere. That suits me well."

Cullen also loves the extra room at the back and felt hemmed in when he was pushed upfield while Jeff Wilson took the custodian's job last year.

"I didn't find wing that difficult, I actually quite enjoyed it," he said. "But I think centre just closed down everything and that's not how I like to play. I didn't enjoy it
.
"I learned a lot from being wing and centre but we've got players now who are better than me there. If anybody asks (me to play centre) then obviously I'm not good enough to play fullback.

"If that's the case then I'd rather sit on the sideline. Fullback is where I want to play so if someone asked me to play centre ..."

Latham has been Australia's best performer in its three Test wins this year, scoring five tries and injecting himself into the attack with venom as the Wallabies' most potent attacking force.

He counter-attacks and splits the line in the same way Cullen made his name as one of rugby's most exciting players when he made his debut in 1996 and the expected world record 110,000 crowd at Stadium Australia can look forward to an expansive game from the fullbacks.

"Cullen typifies what a fullback's game is all about, I don't think any guy does it as good as he does," Latham said. "He's definitely the sort of player you like to measure yourself against.

"If I can make a few breaks, nothing would be more satisfying than coming up against him and coming out on top."

Latham said Cullen gave the All Blacks more in counter attack than Wilson and linked well with wingers Tana Umaga and Jonah Lomu, his Wellington Super 12 team-mates.
Likewise, the 43-Test veteran rated Latham, who has played nine Tests a better attacker than the conservative Burke.

"He's a pretty exciting player and loves to run the ball," said Cullen "I guess they're different sorts of players. Chris will try anything from anywhere while Matt is a bit safer."

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