Injury grounds Mortlock
Struggling Wallabies stalwart Stirling Mortlock has aggravated his calf muscle and will not join Australia in Europe.
Mortlock missed the end of the Tri-Nations but was expected to link up with the Aussies for the last three Tests of his Grand Slam tour. It’s now been confirmed that the centre will not make that trip.
Coach Robbie Deans has already lost his first-choice No 12 Berrick Barnes and another promising centre in Rob Horne to injury.
November 6th, 2009 at 12:11 pm
Can see now why his captaincy was taken away..this dragon is far too injury prone.
November 6th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
Stirling who ?
November 6th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
time to call it a day.
will be 35 next yr
pass the torch to promising Digby Ione
November 6th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
Yes, best to retire from rugby within 10 years of going completely bald…
November 6th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
Just like J Smit should do…hand over the crown….
Now i am diving for cover…incoming missiles!!
November 6th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
#5 grant10: Ja man you better dive!
You are totally wrong on that subject cuzzie – there is no one to take over from Smit yet, and he still has a lot of fuel in the tank. Or did you not see the last Tri Nations game vs ABs? 
November 6th, 2009 at 1:31 pm
#5 grant10:
John Smit can still run onto the field without pulling a hammie!
Although, grant(10)ed he does run a bit slower than Mortie on a good day.
November 6th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
#6 bokfan1: #7 Mongril: I am so deep in the bunker i can only hear the explosions…!
I would play Smit off the bench personally….covers 1…2….and 3…but not the best at 2 anymore…and he is certainly no 3….
But lets leavre it…i have been kakked out once already today for fostering debate…UK Bok got upset….
Thought a blog was about expressing views….seems its only cool as long as the views are all the same…and especially raw if Smit mentioned!!
LOL
November 6th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
#8 grant10:
He’s still the only guy that makes the All Blacks wet themselves and lie on their backs with feet in the air, begging for a tummy tickle.
There has to be value in that!
November 6th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
#9 Mongril:
He is/was truly the best no nonsense 13 of the Millennium (so far).
No sideways shuffle with Sterling.
Unreservedly, he is my best centre of the decade.
BOD…#2.
And His Momma and Poppa couldn’t have given him a better name.
“24 carrot” maybe……….But Sterling says it all.
November 6th, 2009 at 3:18 pm
Great player but I sense that this injury may also be part of the captain issue.
Its time for Oz to deliver on the their potential if they want to win RWC in NZ. But then its up to Boks to maintain …
November 6th, 2009 at 4:45 pm
#10 cane: BoD was better than Mortlock
November 6th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
#12 Big Hit: I agree. Way better! Only thing Mortlock has over BoD is his place kicking.
But running-wise BoD was the best at one stage.
Until Jacque Fourie arrived
November 6th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
#8 grant10: Of course a blog is about expressing your views, and then people respond and you have a lekker debate, and then you look at the clock and realise you have done NO work all day
Even if (and I emphasise the if) Smittie is not the best #3 or #2, he IS the best captain in the world and the glue that holds the Bok magic together.
So for that reason he CANNOT play off of the bench, he needs to be on the field leading the boys.
But IMHO he is the best #3 and would be #2, but the Boks game plan has changed and Bismark is the best for it. Besides Bismark is now the best #2 in the world, so that issue has been resolved
November 6th, 2009 at 4:55 pm
#13 bokfan1: BoD an old man now really but in his prime, simply unbelievable, Mortlock wouldn’t have laid a hand on him.
November 6th, 2009 at 5:00 pm
#13 bokfan1: Fourie has never ever been better than O Dris. And neither can match Kahui.
November 6th, 2009 at 5:01 pm
#15 Big Hit: Im with you mate
#16 rugbygenius: This must be a joke post or a wind-up!
November 6th, 2009 at 5:02 pm
digby ione is going to be a world-class 13 once he gets some experience
November 6th, 2009 at 5:04 pm
#18 charo: you think? I’m a bit worried about this Aussie centre combination this weekend. Ours isn’t bad at all, Dan Hipkiss should make a few breaks but those Aussie backs, they’re tricky players
November 6th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
#19 Big Hit:
he made a big impact in the s14 when he arrived. still young but has all the attributes.
that 12 with the funny name is a bit like an earl rose – some moments of brilliance but generally rubbish
November 6th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
#20 charo: Quade Cooper? hope you’re right
November 6th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
#21 Big Hit:
that’s it – who the hell names their son quade?
slippery little **** but prone to brain farts
November 6th, 2009 at 6:40 pm
#22 charo:
Yeah, what a name.
However, he is one of the best steppers around and is an extremely dangerous player.
He does stupid things and his tackling is also not so good, but he is much better than Earl Rose will ever be.
If the Aus forwards can dominate he will be a huge factor in the match.
November 6th, 2009 at 6:56 pm
#23 Robzim: can’t see the Aus forwards dominating but can see them getting parity or maybe a little better and that will be enough
November 6th, 2009 at 7:01 pm
#24 Big Hit:
got oz on superbru by a small margin.
england need to control the oz pickngo tactics – thats where they have patience and break down defences.
#23 Robzim: can’t see oz fowards dominating. if england use jw for field position, aussies will make mistakes in their own half and give away points.
November 6th, 2009 at 7:13 pm
#25 charo: probably a wise prediction
November 6th, 2009 at 7:17 pm
#24 Big Hit:
#25 charo:
OK, they probably wont dominate, I agree.
In the Super 14 Quade Cooper usually played catch-up rugby behind a beaten pack and in a losing team (Queensland Reds)
It would be interesting to see what he can do in a team going forward (or at least with forwards getting parity)
I would say Aus by 6-11 in dry weather and by 3 if it is wet.
November 6th, 2009 at 8:09 pm
@Big Hit…havent seen the English team..is Banahan in and how do u rate him? I like to think of him as the poor man’s Lomu.
November 6th, 2009 at 8:10 pm
If Earl Rose is rugby’s Tiger Woods..what does that make Quade Cooper?
November 6th, 2009 at 8:11 pm
#28 Rage: rate him highly, but tomorrow is the acid test. He does some things better than Lomu (defence/off-loading) but other things not as well (not much of a step/not as fast). The guy’s bigger than Martin Johnson though and quick enough so if he goes well he’ll be an asset.
November 6th, 2009 at 8:13 pm
#29 Rage:
November 6th, 2009 at 10:19 pm
#27 Robzim: I’m hoping our forwards do a little better than parity, I’m not worried about the scrum, Lineout thats a different story. Cooper can either be a devis or a hero. hopefully he’ll be a hero, #30 Big Hit: Your right the new combo does have potential. All cooper has to do is pass to Digby, simple really
November 7th, 2009 at 2:06 am
#19 Big Hit: Definitely.
Super14 this year was his first season at 13, and he was topping both total running metres and line breaks for the comp before he missed the last 2 rounds through injury (still ended up 2nd overall in both).
#27 Robzim: I’m starting to get the same opinion of Quade. He has made some stupid mistakes for the Reds, but is yet to have any of these brainfarts for the Wallabies. Perhaps playing in a settled environment has let him play his natural game rather than having to try to win the game with every touch of the ball.
November 7th, 2009 at 4:33 am
Australia should win this…but then there is Jonny. Where there is Jonny there is hope for England. 07 proved that. Aus make a mistake its 3 points on the board for Eng. Monye at fullback? whats his kicking game like big hit?