Darcy Swain 'devastated' following Tupaea injury

Wallabies Prop Allan Ala’alatoa has shared how Darcy Swain reacted to news of Quinn Tupaea’s injury following the Wallabies dramatic Bledisloe loss in Melbourne.

While a significant injury wasn’t confirmed at the time, the replays didn’t project well for Tupaea, as his knee buckled at an unnatural angle.

Post match comments from All Blacks coach Ian Foster expressed a concern shared by many, that of a torn ACL. Scans would later reveal a ruptured medial cruciate ligament (MCL) and partially torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

Ala’alatoa spoke to media on Monday and spoke about seeing Swain after the final whistle.

“Seeing him after the game, mate, he was devastated,” Ala’alatoa said.

“He was more devastated for Quinton (Tupaea).

“there was no intention there to injure him the way that he did.”

This will be Swain’s second judicial hearing this year, his first was for a red card he received during Australia’s July series against England in an incident with English lock Johnny Hill.

Swain ultimately lost his cool and head butted Hill but received some sympathy from the rugby community after replays revealed Hill as the instigator, pulling Swain’s hair directly prior to Swain’s retaliation and further replays from a seperate incident would show Hill shoving Swain in the face beside an Australian ruck.

The World Rugby committee residing over that case took Hill’s extra curricular’s into consideration when deciding the length of Swain’s suspension.

The committee also made mention of Swain’s “acknowledgement of foul play”, “expression of remorse”, “off-field mitigating factors”, “conduct at the hearing” and “clean disciplinary record”.

While the latter will no longer be a mitigating factor working in Swain’s favour, his teammate doubled down on Swain’s remorse over the incident as well as explaining how they’re supporting him through the process.

“We definitely, as players and I think I’ve seen some of his close mates just throw their arm around him because he’s probably copping a fair bit on social media at the moment.”

“Mentally he’s doing alright but I can tell he was definitely devastated after the game for Quinton and what happened there.”

“I think he goes to the Judiciary today and then we’ll get an answer off that.”

It was a review committee that met on Monday to discuss the play and decide whether to dismiss the case or proceed with a judicial hearing.

The outcome was to schedule a Judicial Committee hearing for Wednesday evening that would take place via video conference.