News
Wallabies' injury stocks rising
October 16 2008
Australia's injury crises ahead of their upcoming end-of-year tour has deepened with two more players added to the Wallabies growing casualty list.
Coach Robbie Deans will be forced to field a new-look back row for the Bledisloe Cup clash with the All Blacks on November 1, after receiving more bad news.
The luckless Hugh McMeniman and rookie Peter Kimlin (called in for the injured James Horwill) were both ruled out of the Hong Kong showdown - and almost certainly the first Test of the European tour against Italy as well - after breaking down during a team training session.
The pair join winger Lote Tuqiri, scrum-half Luke Burgess and number eight Wycliff Palu - all recovering from knee surgery - on the rehab trail.
Scans revealed ligament damage after McMeniman rolled his ankle, while Kimlin strained his quad in what Deans described as two slices of "momentary bad luck".
The absence of the versatile pair - who can both play lock or blindside flanker - further depletes the Wallaby pack, which has already lost key locks Dan Vickerman and Horwill as well as blindside Rocky Elsom.
Deans will give Tuqiri until the last minute to prove his fitness for the tour as he continues to recover from minor knee surgery.
"Lote is seeing a surgeon again tomorrow (Friday). He's done a lot of volume work because we're obviously trying to maintain his base," Deans told AAP.
"But he obviously hasn't been running a lot, so hopefully he'll get the all-clear and then he'll literally hit the ground running at that point. Obviously it will be a matter of how he responds to that.
"We won't pick him until he's 100 per cent."
Deans admitted the intensity of the Wallabies' pre-tour training sessions had contributed to Kimlin and McMeniman breaking down.
But he made no apologies for upping the tempo ahead of a tour he sees as crucial to Australia's future.
After taking on New Zealand in Hong Kong and Italy in Padova, the Wallabies meet England at Twickenham, France in Paris, Wales in Cardiff and the Barbarians at Wembley.
"These things happen when you are pushing the boundaries," Deans said of the injuries.
"You've always got 22 fit players you name and they are all here because we believe they offer us something, so whoever does get the call-up it will be great opportunity for them."
"Clearly we are going to require the whole group at some point in time."
"It's going to be a good tour. There are some good destinations we play at, there are some opponents who historically have given Australia a challenge."
"It's a great opportunity for us in terms of growing."