Wednesday’s rugby news has Turner leaving NSW, Palau going under the knife, BOD’s retirement announced and some squad changes for the NZ-Pumas match.
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Palu’s season over
Wallaby number eight Wycliff Palu has had his season cut short by a persistent knee injury. Recent scans have revealed that Palu will require surgery to repair torn cartilage in his right knee. Not only will he miss the remainder of the Rugby Championship, but is also out of contention for the the Wallabies’ end-of-year tour of the United Kingdom and Europe.
This setback comes after previous injury-plagued seasons with the Waratahs, with lengthy spells on the sidelines occurring due to shoulder and hamstring problems. ‘I won’t be coming back to play until I am 100 per cent, which is something I have done in the past and that has led to other injuries,’ Palu said. [/one_half]
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Lachie Turner joins rivals
Winger Lachlan Turner has joined the Queensland Reds for the 2014 Super Rugby season. He said ‘The move north will provide some exciting opportunities for me that I hope will add to my game and help me add value to the Reds,’. Turner has played 15 Wallaby Tests but a hamstring tear in 2012 and broken leg in 2013 have allowed his Waratahs standing to be surpassed by imposing back three counterparts Peter Betham, Cam Crawford and Israel Folau, with the recent signing of Kurtley Beale bringing more competition .
The move will be mutually beneficial, with Queensland able to bolster its wing stocks after losing Digby Ioane to French club Stade Francais and Luke Morahan to the Western Force. [/one_half]
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O’Driscoll confirms retirement
Ireland and Lions legend Brian O’Driscoll has announced that this season will be his last in professional rugby. O’Driscoll was only convinced to play this season by new Ireland boss Joe Schmidt and exuberant Leinster supporters. But BOD is adamant that the newest cries of ‘one more year’ will go unanswered.
In discussing his decision, the 34-year-old said, ‘there were a number of factors. I had to talk to Amy and listen to my body, I had to learn if I was still wanted in the Leinster setup and the Irish setup.’ O’Driscoll will still be a pivotal member of Leinster’s quest for the Heineken Cup, and Ireland’s Six Nations campaign and an important series against the All-Blacks later this year. [/one_half]
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NZ/Pumas line-up changes
Argentina coach Santiago Phelan has made four changes to the team who narrowly lost 22-17 to South Africa in last week’s Rugby Championship match. The Pumas will be lifted by these changes, particularly the news that skipper Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe will return from a calf injury. 34-cap lock Manuel Carizza will also be injected into the starting XV, along with Juan Martin Hernandez at fullback and Santiago Fernandez at inside centre.
Meanwhile, Dan Carter is set to be promoted to the All-Blacks line-up, having recovered from a calf injury. Outside of him, there is a high probability that Francis Saili will make his first international start. The Blues midfield back was training at inside yesterday, with Steve Hansen and backs coach Ian Foster also praising his readiness to reporters. ‘He’s confident, and so I think he’s likely to bring that confidence onto the international stage,’ Foster said. [/one_half]
