Updated May 27, 2012 20:28:37
Captain James Horwill has been left out of Australia's 39-man train-on squad for the June Tests against Scotland and Wales because of a hamstring injury.
The towering lock sustained the injury early in the second half of the Queensland Reds' 13-12 win over the Brumbies in a Super Rugby match in Canberra on Saturday.
Despite the injury, the skipper joined up with the Australia squad and coaching staff in Sydney on Sunday and will undergo a scan on Monday but is expected to miss out on the Tests.
Horwill's absence will force the Wallabies to name a new captain when they face Scotland on June 5 in Newcastle before the first of three Tests against Six Nations champion Wales on successive weekends from June 9.
Scrum half Will Genia and openside flanker David Pocock are the likely candidates to lead the Tri Nations champions in the absence of Horwill.
Fly half Quade Cooper was included in the 39 despite playing only 120 minutes of rugby since a serious knee injury sustained at last year's World Cup.
If there is any silver lining, it is that while Horwill is firmly in doubt for the Wallabies' first Test against Scotland in Newcastle on June 5, he could potentially be back in time to help the Reds continue their strong run home after the three-week international break.
Queensland has won three straight matches, with the victory over the Brumbies a rousing war-cry against those who doubted the defending champions during their early-season woes.
The victory gives them the Rod Macqueen Cup for the first time since it was schemed up in 2005 for beating the Brumbies twice this season. In round seven, they outplayed the ACT franchise for a solid 20-13 victory at Lang Park.
The win has also the added bonus of heaping pressure on Jake White's men, who still lead the Australian conference, but must win on Friday against the Melbourne Rebels or have their buffer cut to just a single point.
They are on 45 points, five ahead of the Reds, who will enjoy another four points for their bye next round.
Queensland's late-season surge has hotted up the race for Australian leader honours but, as an added benefit, could result in two Australian teams making the play-offs - an unlikely concept just a few weeks ago.
"We know we haven't played our best footy in the first part of the comp or the middle of the comp, but we're on the way back," McKenzie said.
"Where we finish, who knows? But we're nipping away."
White was buoyant after the match, which came within a whisker of being a home win for the Brumbies, had it not been for Zack Holmes narrowly missing a 38m penalty kick in the dying seconds.
The Brumbies remain on the road on the other side of the international break, with games scheduled against the Western Force in Perth and NSW Waratahs in Sydney before a final game against the Blues in Canberra.
White was confident about the run home.
"It's not all doom and gloom. We've still got our own destiny in our own hands," he said.
"To hold these guys to within a kick is a massive achievement.
"We've got a belief that we can win this competition, and I think after tonight the belief's even bigger."
Reuters/AAP
Tags: sport,
rugby-union,
qld,
australia First posted May 27, 2012 12:15:54
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