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Dave Rennie provides update on Wallabies' massive injury list

Lalakai Foketi. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)

The Wallabies have already had to contend with a massive absentee list this year and it seems that things aren’t about to get any easier following Saturday night’s clash with the All Blacks.

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Heading into the fixture, the Wallabies were already missing a slew of top-line players, including prop Taniela Tupou, flankers Michael Hooper and Rob Leota, flyhalves Quade Cooper, Noah Lolesio and James O’Connor, and midfielders Samu Kerevi, Hunter Paisami and Izaia Perese – to name just a few.

Two players also had their nights prematurely cut short at Eden Park with midfielder Lalakai Foketi leaving the field after just minutes of action and senior flyhalf Bernard Foley suffering a head knock shortly before fulltime.

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With so many walking wounded, coach Dave Rennie was somewhat understandably asked following the 40-14 loss whether the Wallabies have a conditioning issue.

“I think we’ve got some of the best (trainers) in the world,” he responded.

“[It’s a] collision sport and if you look at the injuries we had tonight, that’s the issue. Lalakai was carrying a ball. Jed did a hip-pointer tonight where it was a collision. Bernard Foley got knocked out. So it’s not like we’re having a heap of soft-tissue injuries. A number of them are collision. People landing on someone, doing an ACL or patellar tendon or whatever.

“I’ve got total confidence in the quality of our [strength and conditioning coaches] and our medical stuff.”

While Rennie wasn’t able to confirm the extent of Foketi’s injury, he did suggest that the 27-year-old likely wouldn’t be touring with the squad when they travel north to Europe at the end of October – as well as many of the Wallabies’ other walking wounded.

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“I’ll leave it for someone who’s got a medical degree to explain it probably but it’s a shoulder injury and could require an operation,” Rennie said.

“Most of the guys who got out injured are long-term, they won’t be returning till next year – Kerevi and Cooper, Perese, Rob Leota, Foketi now, and probably a couple of others, Tom Banks. Tom Banks hopefully might be back in time.”

Further complicating things is the Wallabies’ new reliance on a smattering of players from Japan, with a number of men unavailable for the end-of-year tour due to their club commitments. Pleasingly for Australian supporters, however, 33-year-old flyhalf Foley is still set to travel north.

“Bernard’s a chance,” said Rennie. “Tom’s technically still contracted here until the end of the year so if he’s fit, he’ll be available. Marika [Koroibete] will head back [to Japan]. Obviously, Rory [Arnold] has already gone back and Samu and Quade are both out injured.”

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There’s also a chance that talismanic captain Michael Hooper could be back on deck, with the seasoned campaigner taking time out of the game during the Rugby Championship for mental health reasons.

“He’s a ‘wait and see’. We’ve been in constant communication with Hoops and we’ll let everyone know what the plan is over the next couple of weeks.”

It’s not just the newly injured players who are potentially set for some time on the sidelines, however.

Rennie was evidently not pleased with his team’s discipline following the thumping at Eden Park, despite it being a major focus in the week leading up to the Bledisloe Cup clash, and it appears that some players may pay the price for their indiscretions.

“If we’ve got individuals giving away lots of penalties, maybe it’s a selection issue,” he dryly noted.

The Wallabies will spend the next month recovering from their Rugby Championship campaign before taking on Scotland on 29 October.

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O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
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