Injury grounds Mortlock

6 Nov 2009

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.



34 Comments

  • 1.Yetirat: Reply to this comment
    6 Nov 2009, 12:11 pm

    Can see now why his captaincy was taken away..this dragon is far too injury prone.

  • 2.rugbygenius: Reply to this comment
    6 Nov 2009, 12:21 pm

    Stirling who ?

  • 3.mshiniwami: Reply to this comment
    6 Nov 2009, 12:32 pm

    time to call it a day.

    will be 35 next yr

    pass the torch to promising Digby Ione

  • 4.Mongril: Reply to this comment
    6 Nov 2009, 13:26 pm

    Yes, best to retire from rugby within 10 years of going completely bald…

  • 5.grant10: Reply to this comment
    6 Nov 2009, 13:28 pm

    Just like J Smit should do…hand over the crown….

    Now i am diving for cover…incoming missiles!!

  • 6.bokfan1: Reply to this comment
    6 Nov 2009, 13:30 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? ;-)

  • 7.Mongril: Reply to this comment
    6 Nov 2009, 13:31 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.

  • 8.grant10: Reply to this comment
    6 Nov 2009, 13:36 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

  • 9.Mongril: Reply to this comment
    6 Nov 2009, 13:42 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!

  • 10.cane: Reply to this comment
    6 Nov 2009, 14:34 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.

  • 11.bananas: Reply to this comment
    6 Nov 2009, 15:18 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 …

  • 12.Big Hit: Reply to this comment
    6 Nov 2009, 16:45 pm

    #10 cane: BoD was better than Mortlock

  • 13.bokfan1: Reply to this comment
    6 Nov 2009, 16:49 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 ;-)

  • 14.bokfan1: Reply to this comment
    6 Nov 2009, 16:54 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 :-)

  • 15.Big Hit: Reply to this comment
    6 Nov 2009, 16:55 pm

    #13 bokfan1: BoD an old man now really but in his prime, simply unbelievable, Mortlock wouldn’t have laid a hand on him.

  • 16.rugbygenius: Reply to this comment
    6 Nov 2009, 17:00 pm

    #13 bokfan1: Fourie has never ever been better than O Dris. And neither can match Kahui.

  • 17.bokfan1: Reply to this comment
    6 Nov 2009, 17:01 pm

    #15 Big Hit: Im with you mate

    #16 rugbygenius: This must be a joke post or a wind-up!

  • 18.charo: Reply to this comment
    6 Nov 2009, 17:02 pm

    digby ione is going to be a world-class 13 once he gets some experience

  • 19.Big Hit: Reply to this comment
    6 Nov 2009, 17:04 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

  • 20.charo: Reply to this comment
    6 Nov 2009, 17:09 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

  • 21.Big Hit: Reply to this comment
    6 Nov 2009, 18:22 pm

    #20 charo: Quade Cooper? hope you’re right

  • 22.charo: Reply to this comment
    6 Nov 2009, 18:28 pm

    #21 Big Hit:

    that’s it – who the hell names their son quade?
    slippery little **** but prone to brain farts

  • 23.Robzim: Reply to this comment
    6 Nov 2009, 18:40 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.

  • 24.Big Hit: Reply to this comment
    6 Nov 2009, 18:56 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

  • 25.charo: Reply to this comment
    6 Nov 2009, 19:01 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.

  • 26.Big Hit: Reply to this comment
    6 Nov 2009, 19:13 pm

    #25 charo: probably a wise prediction

  • 27.Robzim: Reply to this comment
    6 Nov 2009, 19:17 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.

  • 28.Rage: Reply to this comment
    6 Nov 2009, 20:09 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.

  • 29.Rage: Reply to this comment
    6 Nov 2009, 20:10 pm

    If Earl Rose is rugby’s Tiger Woods..what does that make Quade Cooper?

  • 30.Big Hit: Reply to this comment
    6 Nov 2009, 20:11 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.

  • 31.Puma: Reply to this comment
    6 Nov 2009, 20:13 pm

    #29 Rage: :lol:

  • 32.SAussie/QldRed: Reply to this comment
    6 Nov 2009, 22:19 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

  • 33.DonutDunning: Reply to this comment
    7 Nov 2009, 02:06 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.

  • 34.schalla: Reply to this comment
    7 Nov 2009, 04:33 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?

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