Uncapped Wallabies winger Henry Speight will be sidelined for a month with the hamstring injury he suffered in the Super Rugby semi-final.
Fiji-born Speight is expected to recover from the injury in time to make his Test debut when he becomes eligible during The Rugby Championship but has been replaced in the Australian squad by Peter Betham.
Betham, currently on the NSW Waratahs’ bench for Saturday night’s Super Rugby final, is now in the mix to add to his one Test cap against the All Blacks last October.
Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie, who again overlooked Japan-bound Nick Cummins, indicated the in-form Speight would be available for the September 13 Test against Argentina on the Gold Coast.
“It’s disappointing for Henry but I’ve got no doubt that he’ll go back and work hard during the rehab process to get his injury healed before he becomes eligible to play for Australia in mid-September,” McKenzie said in a statement on Wednesday.
“On the flip side, we bring in a guy in Peter Betham who has had significant exposure to our program over the past year and who made his Test debut against New Zealand in 2013.
“He’s a quality team member on and off the field and will be determined to make the most of the opportunity he has been given.”
The Wallabies kick off their championship campaign with two Bledisloe Cup Tests against the All Blacks on August 16 in Sydney and August 23 in Auckland.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.
Ned Hanigan is one of the in-form forwards in Australian rugby who looks set to finally turn promise into quality on the international stage,…
As calls grow for the entire Rugby Australia board to be overthrown, new chairman Daniel Herbert described the agitators behind the movement as hypocrites…
Three things in the world of rugby have caught my eye this week, and got me thinking very hard about the way forward, and…
Amid a week of soul-searching for Stephen Larkham’s men, the Brumbies have received a massive boost ahead of Saturday’s home clash against the ladder-leading…
Jordan Petaia may have played his last match for the Reds, with the off-contract Wallabies back to miss the rest of the Super Rugby…
Joe Schmidt has made it clear that his preference is to pick from home in 2024. His thoughts on the Wallabies’ eligibility policy could…
