Front row stocks
Tatafu Polota-Nau (Hooker, Waratahs) first injured his hamstring on August 8, but was predicted to have a two-week turnaround, with his injury healing in time for the second Bledisloe Cup match in Wellington.
When Polota-Nau made it back to training, he didn’t last long, suffering a much worse hamstring tear, albeit in a different spot on August 28.
Polota-Nau did not require surgery on the hamstring, and will be eased back in to training when he is ready.
Polota-Nau has been included in the Wallaby EOYT Squad, and will be ready to play by November 2 (Wallabies v England)
Dan Palmer (Tighthead, Brumbies) has garnered a reputation as Australia’s best scrummaging Tighthead Prop. The 25 year old suffered from a fracture to the Sesamoid bone on his right big toe in 2012, and repeated this injury on his left big toe in 2013. Palmer managed this injury through the season as it got progressively worse, eventually requiring surgery around June 21.
Palmer was ruled out for the remainder of the Super Rugby Season, and is now currently in France training fully with Top 14 side FC Grenoble, aiming to play against Bayonne on November 22.
I spoke to Palmer late last night, and I asked him about the possibility of joining the EOYT Squad when he was over there – he didn’t absolutely rule it out.
Your move, Ewen.
James Hanson (Hooker, Reds) suffered a neck injury in the Queensland Reds match against the touring British & Irish Lions on June 8.
Scans revealed that the Gregory Terrace product luckily didn’t require surgery, and will be ready to play by February 2014, just in time for the Red’s Super Rugby campaign.
