Monday’s rugby news has Quade’s World Cup under threat, Horwill in the doghouse, Moore giving another perspective on sabbaticals and a poor result in the Tokyo Sevens.
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Injury threatens Quade’s RWC push
Quade Cooper will now be in a race against the injury clock after fracturing his right shoulder blade making a tackle in Queensland’s loss to the Rebels. Cooper has been ruled out for eight weeks, meaning that there will be only two games of Super Rugby left when he returns with the Reds out of the finals hunt.
After missing the first seven rounds of the competition with an AC joint injury, Cooper will have to impress Wallaby coach Michael Cheika in matches against the Chiefs and then the Waratahs in June. The Reds flyhalf was looking forward to this year’s World Cup after admittedly cracking under the pressure and performing poorly against New Zealand in the 2011 tournament.
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Horwill left out of squad
Former Wallaby captain James Horwill has been excluded from the Reds’ two-match tour to South Africa after he was sent off for the second time this season. Horwill copped a one-match suspension for striking Melbourne Rebels prop Paul Alo-Emile with a swinging arm, with the subsequent carding proving costly as the 14-man Reds gave up a 12-3 lead to lose 23-15.
With Horwill omitted from the touring squad, Tom Murday has been named as his replacement with Wallaby Rob Simmons also available to play his first match of the season coming back from a shoulder injury sustained last November. Jake Schatz will also miss the tour, with the Reds 8 out for four weeks after he ruptured his elbow tendon.
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Moore urges caution with sabbaticals
Stephen Moore has reminded players to consider the risk of getting burned out in the push towards sabbaticals. While Moore said that individuals should be able to decide on the move as a way of keeping Australia’s best talent, he emphasised the difficulties of effectively playing a constant season.
“The only thing that we need to be careful of is the player welfare – the amount of games and the length of time guys are playing footy,” Moore said, before adding, “”But that’s up to the individual to manage and the way they negotiate things.” A Japanese contract, for example, would see the individual playing right through the off-season with no break before the next Super Rugby campaign.
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England overtake Aus Sevens
A surprise tournament win from England in Tokyo, matched with a woeful 10th placed finish by the Australian team have had a massive impact on the World Series standings. Australia have been pushed back to fifth, nine points behind England with just two rounds of the series to play.
Australia finished the tournament with a loss to the U.S., with coach Geraint John commenting, “The game against the USA summed up our weekend, it was another game where chances went begging. The aim for us over the next few days and weeks is to make sure everyone is fit and fresh and ready to go for Glasgow next month.”
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