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Report: Wallabies star suffers major injury setback after being ruled out for the season
By Online Editors
The Wallabies have been dealt a significant injury blow less than a fortnight from the opening match of the upcoming Tri Nations campaign.
According to a report from the Sydney Morning Herald, key playmaker Matt To'omua has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after sustaining a severe groin injury in Sunday's 27-7 Bledisloe Cup defeat to the All Blacks in Sunday.
The 30-year-old, forming a playmaking axis from second-five alongside No. 10 James O'Connor, was pulled from the field towards the end of the first half, and is reportedly set to have two sets of scans to confirm the initial prognosis.
To'omua's absence from the Wallabies set-up will force head coach Dave Rennie to ask a number of questions about the makeup of his starting XV as he prepares for the third test of a four-match Bledisloe Cup series in Sydney on October 31.
Two-test international rookie Hunter Paisami was shifted from his centre role to fill the void left by To'omua during last week's match, with Reds youngster Jordan Petaia coming off the bench to form a young midfield combination.
That may be a combination is one of many options that Rennie may look to ahead of Bledisloe III in a week-and-a-half's time, although his mention of uncapped prospect Irae Simone at the post-match press conference was telling.
“I think Hunter’s going great. A young man who wasn’t even sure he’d play Super Rugby at the start of the year, so he’s started the first two tests and I thought he made a pretty good fist of moving into 12,” Rennie said.
“We do have some pretty good options, who didn’t play today as well, Irae Simone being one fella who has spent a bit of time over here in New Zealand - a big part of the Brumbies set-up - so we do have some options, but I thought Hunter was strong.”
Yet to make his test debut, 25-year-old Simone could be in line to make his first appearance on the international stage against his nation of birth after a strong, title-winning Super Rugby AU season with the Brumbies.
Other midfield options include Simone's fellow uncapped Brumbies teammate Len Ikitau and long-range goal kicking utility back Reece Hodge.
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Latest Comments
I so wish we could use BIG words here to say what an absolute %^$# this guy is, but we can't so I won't.
Go to commentsGet world rugby to buy a few Islands in the Mediterranean. Name them Rugby Island #1, #2, #3 etc. All teams are based there all season and as the knockouts progress, losers go home for a few months rest. Sell the TV rights to any and all.
Have an open ballot/lottery each week to fly fans out to fill the stadiums. They get to enter the draw if they pay their taxes and avoid crime which would encourage good social engagement from rugby supporters as responsible citizens. The school kids get in the draw if they are applying themselves at school and reaching their potential.
Or maybe there is some magic way to prioritise both domestic rugby and international rugby by having the same players playing for 12 months of the year...
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