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Genia's replacement brought in for Wallabies must-win Test with Ireland

Will Genia on the sidelines after suffering a broken arm against Ireland

Australia have called up Jake Gordon as a replacement for fellow scrum-half Will Genia, who will be out of action for six weeks with a fractured arm.

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Genia underwent surgery on Sunday after suffering the injury during the second Test against Ireland in Melbourne on Saturday, a match the tourists won 26-21 to level the three-match series.

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His absence is not only a blow for the Wallabies ahead of a decider in Sydney but also the Melbourne Rebels, with the 30-year-old now likely to sit out the remainder of the Super Rugby season.

Gordon has flown back from Japan – where he had played in an exhibition match for the Waratahs – to join up with the squad.

The 24-year old is yet to earn his first Test cap, after his initial squad call-up a year ago during the 2017 June Series.

Head coach Michael Cheika is expected to promote Nick Phipps to the number nine shirt in Genia’s absence.

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Nickers 17 minutes ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I thought we made a lot of progress against that type of defence by the WC last year. Lots of direct running and punching holes rather than using width. Against that type of defence I think you have to be looking to kick on first phase when you have front foot ball which we did relatively successfully. We are playing a lot of rugby behind the gain line at the moment. They are looking for those little interchanges for soft shoulders and fast ball or off loads but it regularly turns into them battering away with slow ball and going backwards, then putting in a very rushed kick under huge pressure.


JB brought that dimension when he first moved into 12 a couple of years ago but he's definitely not been at his best this year. I don't know if it is because he is being asked to play a narrow role, or carrying a niggle or two, but he does not look confident to me. He had that clean break on the weekend and stood there like he was a prop who found himself in open space and didn't know what to do with the ball. He is still a good first phase ball carrier though, they use him a lot off the line out to set up fast clean ball, but I don't think anyone is particularly clear on what they are supposed to do at that point. He was used really successfully as a second playmaker last year but I don't think he's been at that role once this year. He is a triple threat player but playing a very 1 dimensional role at the moment. He and Reiko have been absolutely rock solid on defence which is why I don't think there will be too much experimentation or changes there.

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