Carter Gordon out injured amid more Wallaby Test woes
Ian Chadband |
The Wallabies have suffered more blows near the conclusion of their ill-fated European tour with returning flyhalf Carter Gordon and hooker Billy Pollard both forced to pull out with injury on the eve of their year-ending Test against France in Paris.
Code-hopping Gordon, who had been drafted in for his second start since his return from the NRL with the Titans, was ruled out on Friday, beaten by the niggling quad injury that’s troubled him all tour.
Pollard, who had been due to be one of only two Wallabies alongside Jeremy Williams to play in all 15 of their Tests this year, also succumbed to a hip pointer problem after being assessed by team medics.
Tane Edmed is promoted to take over the starting role from Gordon, while Western Force’s versatile Hamish Stewart replaces him on the bench.
Matt Faessler, who started in last weekend’s 46-19 loss against Ireland, will take over from Pollard, with his Reds teammate Josh Nasser joining the replacements.
It’s just the preparation coach Joe Schmidt didn’t need as his side seek to avoid becoming the first Wallabies to be swept on a four-Test tour of Europe since 1958 and the first to lose 10 matches in a single calendar year.
If they can beat the European champions by 16 points, the Wallabies could still grab the top-six ranking that will hugely boost their chances of a favourable 2027 World Cup draw next month.
Schmidt has had a headache with his No.10 selections all year with Gordon’s – and now Edmed’s – selection being the ninth time in their 15 Tests that he’s changed the starting five-eighth, often because injuries have forced his hand.
But he has also not helped himself this week by having let veteran James O’Connor go from the camp following the Ireland defeat.
Schmidt had hoped the “exciting” Gordon, back after missing the first two Tests and the Ireland match with his quad problem, would give his side some fresh impetus.
But after a mixed return to union in the Italy loss, when he had to be replaced after exacerbating the injury, the injury-prone 24-year-old has now suffered a further setback, with Schmidt having admitted at the team announcement on Thursday: “I’m hoping he can do the full spectrum of skills required of him.”
That’s proved not to be the case and the onus will now be on Edmed, whose record as Wallabies’ starting No.10 is one win – the narrow victory over Japan – and three defeats. He’s yet to look convincing in any of the Tests.
AAP
