Wallabies suffer Sharpe blow

24 Jun 2010

Nathan Sharpe will miss the Wallabies’ Test against Ireland this Saturday because of a back injury.

Sharpe suffered a twinge in his lower back during Tuesday’s training session and the injury has failed to respond to treatment in time for the clash in Brisbane. The lock becomes the Wallabies’ third change to the starting line-up after scrumhalf Will Genia (hand) and wing Digby Ioane (shoulder) picked up injuries during the 21-20 defeat to England last weekend.

Mark Chisholm is promoted from the reserves to replace the 32-year-old Sharpe in the second row while Mitchell Chapman, who featured for the Australian Barbarians, provides lock cover from the bench.

Wallabies (revised) – 15 James O’Connor, 14 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 13 Rob Horne, 12 Matt Giteau, 11 Drew Mitchell, 10 Quade Cooper, 9 Luke Burgess, 8 Richard Brown, 7 David Pocock, 6 Rocky Elsom (c), 5 Mark Chisholm, 4 Dean Mumm, 3 Salesi Ma’afu, 2 Saia Faingaa, 1 Ben Daley.
Subs: 16 Huia Edmonds, 17 James Slipper, 18 Mitchell Chapman, 19 Matt Hodgson, 20 Josh Valentine, 21 Berrick Barnes, 22 Kurtley Beale.


16 Comments

  • 1.Sonito: Reply to this comment
    24 Jun 2010, 07:51 am

    Aussie could be up for another loss.

  • 2.DonutDunning: Reply to this comment
    24 Jun 2010, 08:26 am

    Big loss for this game.
    The Aussies will fare better in the scrums than against the English, but without Sharpe the strong Irish lineout should have dominance.

    Keo guys, the new locks name is Mitchell Chapman, not Michael.
    I already let you know this during the S14 season :P

    @Sonito(Sonito)-1: Hopefully not. That is still a very strong Aussie backline, and the Irish forwards, while efficient, usually aren’t as powerful and aggressive at the scrums or breakdowns as the Poms.

  • 3.Big Hit: Reply to this comment
    24 Jun 2010, 08:32 am

    Wallabies need to look after their assets better. They don’t have the depth of SA and NZ.

  • 4.Sonito: Reply to this comment
    24 Jun 2010, 08:52 am

    @DonutDunning(DonutDunning)-2:

    Yeah but the Irish have a very good backline and can score tries. Should be a close game. Right now the Aussie tight 5 is looking very weak.

    Faingaa and Edmonds are not international hookers in my opinion.

  • 5.Brigadier Van Zyl: Reply to this comment
    24 Jun 2010, 09:47 am

    unlucky sharpe…

    a really good and honest player.

  • 6.flanka: Reply to this comment
    24 Jun 2010, 11:07 am

    shocking depth…and why do they get injured so often??? is their conditioning up to scratch??

  • 7.scrumfan: Reply to this comment
    24 Jun 2010, 11:31 am

    very weak pack, only Pocock and Elsom are International standard.

  • 8.Oubaas2009: Reply to this comment
    24 Jun 2010, 11:43 am

    Injuries are devastating Aussie rugby at the moment… There depth now gets exposed. At full strength I disagree with Barbed Wire, and think they may get past the quarter finals. They have a great RWC record unlike some others.

  • 9.SAussie/QldRed: Reply to this comment
    24 Jun 2010, 11:55 am

    @DonutDunning(DonutDunning)-2: Hi Donut, how are you going? Did you read about Dwyers comments about this team, the big diff from this side to the other great teams is the injuries thats cursing our team at the moment, maybe we need to work out some way to keep our No 1 squad fit and injury free, I wonder how our other world cup winning teams would have fared with half the team out injured, no so well i fear.

  • 10.Panzer Chief: Reply to this comment
    24 Jun 2010, 12:01 pm

    @SAussie/QldRed(SAussie)-9:

    SAsssie and Donnut,

    Bad luck at the WC. At least you finished with a good win. I thought your Goal Keeper was outstanding.

    And congratulations on putting a Chick in Charge of the Whole Country.

  • 11.WOLFMAN21: Reply to this comment
    24 Jun 2010, 12:21 pm

    @Panzer Chief(cane)-10: And she is a ranga – covering that other under represented minority.

  • 12.Panzer Chief: Reply to this comment
    24 Jun 2010, 12:46 pm

    @WOLFMAN21(WOLFMAN21)-11:

    A “ranga”.

    Please explain Wolfie?

  • 13.Dawn: Reply to this comment
    24 Jun 2010, 12:55 pm

    What’s all this “chick” business!

    Bloody pigs!

  • 14.DonutDunning: Reply to this comment
    24 Jun 2010, 14:20 pm

    @SAussie/QldRed(SAussie)-9: Dwyer has always been great at talking absolute rubbish. See some of the ‘legend’ names he put forward? Tony Daly, seriously? Guy had more gears of turbo reverse than Smit at tighthead.

    I still think most of the injuries have just been terrible luck, although Robinson and Genia probably mismanaged a little, rushed back in.

    @Panzer Chief(cane)-12: Cheers mate. Yeah Schwarzer at keeper I rate as one of the best in the EPL.
    Ranga is a redhead. Short for orangutan I believe :P

  • 15.DonutDunning: Reply to this comment
    24 Jun 2010, 14:23 pm

    Go you mighty All Whites. Was hoping they’d face off against the Eyeties, finish the job we couldn’t back in ’06.

  • 16.WOLFMAN21: Reply to this comment
    24 Jun 2010, 16:20 pm

    @Panzer Chief(cane)-12: A “redhead”.

Keo.co.za has always promoted uncensored views, but has never tolerated racist or crass outbursts. Come on guys and girls. If you can't moderate yourselves or each other then I am going to be forced to regulate the posts and enforce a registration process for comments. The choice is yours.

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