Defending champions Australia suffered a massive blow on Tuesday when influential No 8 Toutai Kefu confirmed he will miss this year’s Rugby World Cup due to a cracked shoulder blade.
Kefu said the injury from Australia’s 21-17 Bledisloe Cup loss to New Zealand two weeks ago would keep him sidelined for up to five months.
The October-November World Cup in Australia was to be the swansong for the 60-Test veteran, who has signed to play out his career in Japan.
”I gave it one last shot this morning, but the injury is a lot worse than first thought and that means I will miss the World Cup,” he said.
David Lyons or open-side flanker George Smith are the likely replacements for Kefu when coach Eddie Jones names his World Cup squad on Thursday.
”There are some people you just don’t want to lose and Toutai is one of them,” said Wallaby coach Eddie Jones.
”The challenge for us now is to honour Toutai’s commitment to winning the World Cup and finding the players to step up and fill the void.”
His injury caps a troubled build-up to the rugby showpiece with the Wallabies winning only one of their last five internationals.
With Jones using specialist open-side flankers George Smith and Phil Waugh on both sides of the scrum against South Africa and New Zealand in the Tri-Nations tournament, Australia have lacked a dominant ball-runner in the forwards.
Australia had some good news when full-back Chris Latham was released from hospital after a bout of pneumonia. He is confident he will be fit for the start of the World Cup on October 10 when Australia kick off against Argentina.
”There’s still a month to go but I should be fine,” Latham said.
”It was thought it was exercise-induced asthma. It was a little bit of a surprise.” — Sapa-AFP