Friday’s rugby news has Cheika playing it cool, an injury blow for the Tahs, Quade back in business and a pioneering concussion study.
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Cheika unconcerned by rankings
Coach Michael Cheika is not worried that the Wallabies have slipped to their lowest ever world ranking, moving to sixth with the Welsh win over number 3 Ireland over the weekend. “I will be honest: I don’t know how the ranking system works,” Cheika said. “At the end of the day, the matches are played on the day. You are ranked on the day.”
In other Wallabies news, Cheika announced that he is close to signing a forwards coach. Although the Test coach confirmed he’d spoken to former Brumbies coach Laurie Fisher, he would not give specifics about who was being considered.
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TPN out for Brumbies clash
The Waratahs will be without Wallabies hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau for Sunday’s Australian derby clash with the Brumbies in Sydney. Polota-Nau suffered a head knock during a training session earlier this week and Waratahs defence coach Nathan Grey has confirmed that the hooker has been ruled out this week.
Tongan-born replacement hooker Tolu Latu will start in TPN’s place, giving the young hooker a chance to face off against perennial Wallaby Stephen Moore. As for the Brumbies, the team have confirmed that Test openside flanker David Pocock will return via the bench for the match.
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Cooper back for Reds
Reds flyhalf Quade Cooper has revealed he will be available for the team’s next match against the Lions.The playmaker has been out with a fracture collarbone that forced him to miss the Reds’ first five games of the season.
The Reds will eagerly welcome back their first-choice 10, with a dismal 1 from 5 start to the season seeing the team sitting at the bottom of the Australian conference and 14th on the overall standings. Cooper also emphasised the importance of his return in starting to build his case for starting duties at the World Cup.
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Randwick studying concussion
The Randwick rugby team will take part in a landmark concussion research program, with all first-grade players to wear a biosensor to record impact levels in contact during the Shute Shield season. Players will be fitted for every game with the “X Patch” biosensor behind the ear to record both G forces and rotational force.
The use of the new technology was said to provide a more objective account of concussions, with founder of the device Dr Adrian Cohen saying that the information will allow researchers to”get a firm understanding of the things that lead to injury and what we can do”.
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