Pocock a doubtful starter for Wallabies

Updated November 28, 2012 07:51:03

Champion flanker David Pocock appears set to make his long-awaited return from injury off the bench in the Wallabies' European tour finale against Wales on Sunday (AEDT).

Based on the formations at Wallabies training at the University of Cardiff on Tuesday, Pocock will not be starting at Millennium Stadium.

The 24-year-old spent the bulk of the session running with the reserve forwards.

Pocock has not played since injuring his knee in the Wallabies' loss to the All Blacks in the opening Bledisloe Cup Test in Sydney in August.

He was expected to return against England in game two of the tour in London ago but strained a calf muscle at training.

Explosive winger Digby Ioane looks set for a place on the bench for a second consecutive week as he is eased back from a knee injury with Drew Mitchell likely to keep one wing spot and Nick Cummins on the other flank.

Kane Douglas trained with heavy strapping on the knee he injured in the opening game of the tour, which Australia lost 33-6 to France, but he looks in line for a start.

NSW Waratahs goal-kicking half-back Brendan McKibbin trained with the Wallabies just six hours after arriving in Cardiff on Tuesday morning and is set to make his Test debut for the Wallabies off the bench.

McKibbin was rushed in to replace number nine Brett Sheehan who is returning to Australia after suffering an ankle injury in his starting debut for the Wallabies in last weekend's 22-19 win over Italy in Florence.

"I'm extremely fatigued from the flight but I'm excited to see some familiar faces again and it's good to be here in Cardiff leading up to a potential Test match," McKibbin said.

"Someone picked me up from the airport and we went on a bit of a tourist drive down to Cardiff. I know a bit about Wales now."

Likely Wallabies team: Berrick Barnes, Nick Cummins, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Ben Tapuai, Drew Mitchell, Kurtley Beale, Nick Phipps, Wycliff Palu, Michael Hooper, Scott Higginbotham, Nathan Sharpe (capt), Kane Douglas, Ben Alexander, Stephen Moore, Benn Robinson.

AAP

Tags: sport, rugby-union, wales, australia

First posted November 28, 2012 07:51:03

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McCaw declared a certain starter

Updated October 13, 2011 13:52:48

The All Blacks say captain Richie McCaw will play in Sunday's Rugby World Cup semi-final against Australia despite the injured right foot which has been troubling him all year.

New Zealand has been in a flap over reports the inspirational flanker was not training with his team-mates, amid fears he would join injured star fly half Dan Carter on the sidelines for the crunch game in Auckland.

The appearance of specialist openside flanker Matt Todd at training on Wednesday sparked rumours all was not well with the indispensable McCaw, but assistant coach Steve Hansen dispelled fears.

"I can guess what the first question is, so I'm going to answer it for you: Richie McCaw's foot is fine," Hansen said at the start of Thursday's press conference.

"Matt Todd is training with us as you all know and have written about. Todd's part of a wider training group and trained with us in Christchurch as did other players down there.

"Matt Todd is in Auckland and it just made commonsense to have him here.

"That's not to say that Richie's foot is worse than it was, it doesn't mean that Richie's not playing on Sunday, it means that Matt Todd was in Auckland and we wanted him to use him for training as opposition.

"So, hopefully that puts that away and we talk about the game."

Jitters over the state of McCaw's health have become a national preoccupation in rugby-obsessed New Zealand this week, as home fans will the All Blacks to win the World Cup for the first time since they lifted the trophy when the country staged the inaugural 1987 edition.

McCaw had surgery for a stress fracture in his right foot in February and missed the first two months of the Super 15 season.

The problem flared again recently with the loose forward on a restricted training workload.

But Hansen said although the 101-cap openside flanker was in pain, he would play this weekend.

"Richie didn't train last week on the pitch and he probably won't train on the pitch until (Saturday's) captain's run and he'll do very little," Hansen said.

"I don't think it will (affect his game), he played pretty well last week.

"It was a tough game last week for loose forwards against Argentina."

Hansen said international players regularly played with injuries and this was no different with McCaw.

"Our loose forwards have got niggles, but I would suggest the other three sides have all had niggles, that's what tournament rugby is all about," he said.

"Richie's obviously reasonably sore in the foot, but he's still able to play.

"I just don't see him (McCaw) being ruled out, but, hypothetically, if he was it would be disappointing but we get on with it."

AFP

Tags: rugby-union-world-cup, rugby-union, sport, new-zealand

First posted October 13, 2011 09:00:19

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