Rovanpera bounces back after 'roo assault.

Petter Solberg was not the only driver to suffer the wrath of the Australian wildlife as the final round of the World Rally Championship entered the Bannister plantations, but Mitsubishi's Harri Rovanpera at least managed to stay in the event following his collision with a kangaroo.

Although the Finn had an otherwise trouble-free morning, he started in bizarre fashion when a kangaroo jumped into the side of his Lancer WRC during SS12, the first of the day. Fortunately, the car sustained only panel damage, although the Mitsubishi crew was forced to tie-wrap the door shut and tape around the seals with stickers pulled off the car in order to keep down the amount of dust entering the cabin.

"It was a big kangaroo - a bit like a horse!" Rovanpera said of his assailant, "We were a few kilometres into the stage, running at top speed, when it jumped into the side of the car. The lock broke and the door flew open - and we had to complete the rest of the stage like that! And it's the worst place in the world for it to happen, with the amount of dust coming into the car..."

Remarkably, having recovered from the shock of being assaulted, Rovanpera and co-driver Risto Pietilainen went on to set the fastest time on each of the following two stages, climbing to second overall as the continued their close battle with Skoda's Colin McRae. Only a spin on the final stage of the loop through Bannister proved a setback, but it was enough for McRae to reclaim second behind Francois Duval by the service halt.

"It's a very nice battle with Colin, and Francois too - and I think our chance of improving is very good," the Finn reckoned.