The week’s rugby news has Quade’s silver lining, the Brumbies risking Kuridrani, Skelton pushing for a starting spot and some French discord brewing.
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Cooper cleared of serious damage
Wallabies playmaker Quade Cooper has undergone X-rays over the weekend which have cleared him of any neck fracture, although he remains in doubt for the Reds’ opener against the Brumbies on Saturday night. Cooper is suffering from a restrictive kink in his neck after being hit hard in a tackle by Lopeti Timani during the Reds’ 18-13 trial loss to the Melbourne Rebels at Ballymore.
‘We really have to see how the spasm settles down in the next 24-48 hours,’ said Reds coach Richard Graham, before optimistically adding, ‘we’re confident he’ll be right to play.’ Mike Harris could be called up to the five-eighth position with Ben Lucas suffering a lingering ankle injury. The Reds’ remaining injury concerns, flanker Ed Quirk (shoulder) and centre Anthony Fainga’a (facial cut), are both expected to be fit for the season opener. [/one_half]
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Kuridrani rejoins Brumbies starters
The Brumbies are planning to push Tevita Kuridrani straight back into the starting line-up for the team’s season opener despite concerns about a possible lack of match fitness. The Wallabies centre missed the last two games of the spring tour and all three of ACT’s trial games after receiving a five-game ban for a dangerous tackle on Irish flanker Peter O’Mahony.
Andrew Smith displayed great pre-season form and was tipped to start the season at 13. Instead, he will make a rare start at inside centre, beating out the perennially unlucky Pat McCabe and Japan international Harumichi Tatekawa. The Brumbies will be without Wallaby inside centre Christian Lealiifano until mid-March after he underwent ankle surgery at the end of the Wallabies tour. [/one_half]
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Skelton pushes for start
Towering Waratahs lock Will Skelton has put his hand up for a starting spot in the NSW second-row amongst intense competition from Jacques Potgieter. Despite his relative inexperience, Skelton is looking to continue his impressive pre-season and cement his role in the team as a powerful ball-runner.
But coach Michael Cheika has insisted that the 135kg Sydney Uni product must expand his game beyond that of an impact player. ‘I want him to learn to play 80 minutes, he’s a big man and I don’t want him to have that, ‘I’ll play for 50 minutes’ [mindset].’ Another strong option at lock, Mitchell Chapman, previously suffered a season-ending Achilles injury. [/one_half]
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French stars overworked
Despite the instructions of coach Phillippe Saint-Andres, five of twelve French internationals have featured for their clubs in this week’s Top 14. The French national staff had previously requested that the players who had started for both the Six Nations games against England and Italy be rested, in line with the recent agreement signed between the French Federation and League.
In total, 24 of France’s 30-man Six Nations squad were in action this round. The weekend’s injury toll included hooker Benjamin Kayser, ruled out of the rest of the Six Nations with a serious knee ligament injury. Centre Mathieu Bastareaud and prop Luc Ducalcon are also in doubt for the trip to Cardiff to face Wales. [/one_half]
