Thursday’s rugby news has McCabe finally hanging up the boots, the Wallabies facing some harsh truths, some new additions to the squad and England told to get fit.
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McCabe retires
Wallabies winger Pat McCabe has been forced to retire after persistent injury, fearing that any further damage to his neck would have life-long consequences. McCabe emphasised that he was blessed to be able to “walk away from the game” after his third broken neck in the last two years.
Reflecting on his career, McCabe said, “I was never the biggest, strongest or fastest … I just worked hard and got the most out of my limited potential. I walk away knowing I did the best I possibly could.” The Brumbies winger still has one year remaining on his contract and will work with the ACT club next season in an off-field role. [/one_half]
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Hooper ready for tough love
Wallabies captain Michael Hooper says that the team will have to bear a few home truths when they return to camp in Perth, the first sessions together after their humiliating 51-20 loss to the All-Blacks. Hooper said he does not look forward to watching the replay, asserting, “We were terrible, to be honest, and it was hard to take, because we draw then go back to where we were [a week later].”
Coach Ewen McKenzie said the side had to get back into the flow of training as soon as possible. “You have to keep going, you can’t just say, ‘We’ll take the rest of the year off,’ “. [/one_half]
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Godwin amongst new Wallabies
Promising Western Force centre Kyle Godwin has been rushed back from injury in place of retiring Brumbies utility Pat McCabe. Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie says Godwin deserves his selection after injury had previously robbed the 22-year-old of a call-up to the national squad.
The Wallabies will also be without hooker Nathan Charles, who was ruled out for the season with a torn pectoral muscle. Tatafu Polota-Nau will return to the squad and finish his rehabilitation in Perth before a possible return for the Pumas on the Gold Coast on September 13. McKenzie has also cut his original 32-man squad by leaving out prop Paddy Ryan and winger Tom English.[/one_half]
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England’s fitness criticised
Englishman Tom Wood has said that the national side have been urged to focus on their fitness in the lead up to the World Cup, with the Northampton flanker emphasising that the team was behind the pace in recent Test matches. Stuart Lancaster’s side was winless in their three-Test series with New-Zealand, before narrowly being defeated by Ireland on points difference during the Six Nations.
Wood said that the team had struggled with the huge gap between the pace of the Heineken Cup and that imposed by teams like New Zealand. “That is a more static, power-based game, whereas international rugby jumps to a really fast tempo,” he said. “We have to recognise that and train for it.” [/one_half]
