formeropenside said:
From Rugbyheaven:
The Wallabies were savouring their brutal win over the Barbarians at Wembley Stadium yesterday, but the match was a disaster for the Waratahs, as they may have lost props Matt Dunning and Sekope Kepu for next year's Super 14 campaign.
Both front-rowers slipped when the soft Wembley surface gave way during a second-half scrum, and Dunning had to be carried off with a snapped Achilles tendon, while Kepu, who was in enormous pain, suffered a torn pectoral muscle. Both are serious, long-term injuries, and could possibly sideline the pair for the entire Super 14 season.
The sight of them leaving the field would have sent Waratahs officials into the depths of despair as they have already lost forwards Rocky Elsom, David Lyons, Al Kanaar and Dan Vickerman for next season, while Wycliff Palu's future is uncertain after he flew home from the tour last week for a shoulder operation.
The Waratahs could easily be the first Super 14 team to start the season with uncontested scrums because of a dearth of forwards. Maybe they should play the hybrid game.
Precious much? They lose their no2 LHP and no2 THP and get all worried. When they lose 5 props, and are down to a pair of guys pulled out of club rugby, then they can carry on like this.
My god. I just read the whole article, and it's awful. Yet another Growden hatchet job...well, it moves between whining and hatchet. He really is useless as a journalist, and simply can not write an article that isn't full of his negative stinking opinions.
Growden really doesn't like Cooper either, does he? Or the facts? Cooper didn't elbow Du Preez in the face at all. He hit him with an illegal no arms tackle and flopped on him. And it wasn't anywhere near an offence that would get him completely sent off. If it was the love child Beale Growden would be crowing about how awful the prop who threw him into the side barrier was.
In regards to the Reds' horrific run of injuries that year, including playing 5th and 6th and 7th string props, and having to use a 19 year old development player on the bench at the last minute: it didn't happen to the Tahs, so therefore it didn't happen in Growden's world.
Lindommer; I don't think Dunning was too big a loss for the Tahs. Dunning's performances for Australia this year were hardly inspiring, as were his performances even for Eastwood. You'd expect a test player to stand out like a sore thumb in club rugby: Dunning was part of the furniture.
I think Kepu is a bigger loss for the Tahs and Australian rugby (especially as Baxter may not last to the next World Cup), as Kepu would've gotten some great development if Foley could have developed him into a tighthead as well, and he'd be so much more handy off the bench as a destructive player around the field. But it gives Palmer a chance to show what he's got - I'm just worried he's a little young for a prop. Let's hope that Baxter and Robinson stay fit and healthy for the S14 season.
Weeks - yeah, the Tahs would probably like to be able to call on him now. Weeks did a great job with Jerry Y for Uni, but I'm not sure yet if he is capable to step up. I think there's such a big difference between the scrums at club level and S14 level these days.
