Injured Genia out for six months

Updated September 09, 2012 13:48:39

Australia's captain's curse has struck again, with stand-in skipper Will Genia to be sidelined for up to six months after scans confirmed the star half-back had ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament.

Genia's injury follows the long-term omissions of regular captain James Horwill (hamstring) and the man who replaced him, David Pocock (knee), who are both already ruled out for the remainder of the Rugby Championship.

Genia went down with 11 minutes to go in Saturday night's 26-19 win over South Africa in Perth.

The Queensland star will be replaced in the Wallabies squad by Western Force veteran Brett Sheehan, with Rebels number nine Nick Phipps expected to start against Argentina on the Gold Coast this Saturday.

Coach Robbie Deans said Genia was a massive loss, but Phipps was capable of stepping up.

Although it seems to be a poisoned chalice, Nathan Sharpe looks set to assume the captaincy as he counts down the final matches of his stellar international career.

"I don't think we'll have a formal leader any more ... every person we've given the title to has broken so we might just have someone lead the group out the tunnel and we might have a meeting with a few good men on Monday morning to discuss the week," joked Deans.

"Will Genia is not there and Will Genia is a special player, there's no doubt.

"But as we've seen in recent times it's a team game and no one can do it by themselves and the group that combines effectively is more dangerous than one man."

In a further blow, lock Sitaleki Timani is considered highly unlikely for the Argentina fixture after suffering a grade one hamstring injury in his man-of-the-match performance against the Springboks.

Rob Simmons or Kane Douglas will be Timani's replacement.

Veteran hooker Stephen Moore fell to injury before the match, while centre Rob Horne is also out for the rest of the year after tearing his hamstring in club rugby on the weekend.

The positives for the Wallabies are that inside centre Pat McCabe is available for selection against the Pumas, while James O'Connor will join the squad with a view to being fit for the trip to South Africa and Argentina later this month.

Winger Drew Mitchell has also managed to avoid needing further surgery on his troublesome leg injury and will return to full training.

The Wallabies fly to the Gold Coast on Sunday, with Sheehan immediately joining the group.

AAP

Tags: sport, rugby-union, super-rugby, australia

First posted September 09, 2012 10:53:08

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Pocock sidelined for three months

Updated August 22, 2012 08:33:55

Australia's Rugby Championship campaign has received another huge blow, with captain David Pocock ruled out for the remainder of the competition after undergoing keyhole surgery on his right knee.

Openside flanker Pocock is expected to be out for up to three months, also putting him in doubt for the Wallabies' November spring tour.

The surgery was required after he damaged the articular cartilage in last Saturday's Bledisloe Cup match with New Zealand in Sydney.

Pocock took over the captaincy at the start of the international season after first-choice skipper James Horwill was ruled out of the four June Tests and the Rugby Championship with a hamstring injury.

Half-back Will Genia, who captained the Wallabies once before against the United States in last year's World Cup, has been confirmed as the new skipper, starting with Saturday's clash with New Zealand in Auckland.

He is the fourth man to hold the position in just over 12 months, following Rocky Elsom, Horwill and Pocock.

Pocock's place at openside flanker is likely to be taken by Michael Hooper, while boom Queensland number seven Liam Gill could be added to the reserves bench.

While without the direct-playing Pocock, the chastened Wallabies are still intent on showing more fire and aggression at the breakdown in Auckland.

Outplayed in the 27-19 loss in Sydney last weekend, the Wallabies have targeted an improvement in the contact area after conceding too many turnovers in that match.

"We just let them in to our breakdown and turned over our ball a bit easy," Wallabies lock Sitaleki Timani said.

"I think the thing we need to do is don't be nice to them at the breakdown.

"Try to get them off our ball and try and get quick ball to the backs to do their job.

"Watching the game, they just lay all over our ball and we didn't really do too much about it."

Meanwhile, the Wallabies will be without prop Sekope Kepu for the Eden Park encounter this Saturday after he was ruled out with a knee injury.

AAP

Tags: sport, rugby-union, australia, new-zealand

First posted August 21, 2012 18:11:30

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Lealiifano sidelined for six months

Updated May 07, 2012 15:13:06

Brumbies fly half Christian Lealiifano will be sidelined for six months after team medical staff confirmed the 24-year-old has fractured and dislocated his ankle.

He is undergoing surgery in Canberra today.

Lealiifano's ankle was caught by a Waratahs player during his side's 23-6 win at Canberra Stadium on Saturday night.

He is the second number 10 the Brumbies have lost this season after Australian under-21 representative Matt Toomua suffered a season-ending knee injury against the Sharks in March.

Coach Jake White is now likely to turn to either Robbie Coleman or Zack Holmes for a fly half replacement.

"We'll have a look to see who fits in best in terms of what we want to do," White said.

Lealiifano was stretchered off late in the game and the Brumbies gathered around him in the dressing room to sing the team song after the side's strong win over the Waratahs.

He remained in good spirits heading into his operation and sent thank-yous to his team-mates and supporters via Twitter.

Tags: sport, rugby-union, super-rugby, australia, canberra-2600

First posted May 07, 2012 12:50:19

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