One injured Wallabies rake has been replaced with another as the Wallabies struggle to cope with their growing hooker crisis.
Australian coach Ewen McKenzie will be forced to select between his fourth-string and sixth-string hookers to start against South Africa next week after losing Nathan Charles for the season.
Charles suffered a pectoral tear in last weekend’s 51-20 Eden Park thrashing by the All Blacks to join Stephen Moore (knee reconstruction) and Tolu Latu (broken arm) in rehab for the rest of 2014.
It’s a major shame for the Western Force No.2, a cystic fibrosis sufferer who had been rugby’s feel-good story in his breakthrough year.
“To cop this injury is really disappointing for him,” McKenzie said.
“He’s done outstandingly well since coming in (to the Test squad) in June.
“It’s been a big step up and the two starts he had were against the All Blacks which is a really tough initiation but he’s been a really good asset in the squad.”
With Charles’ injury, Tatafu Polota-Nau has been recalled to the revised 30-man Wallabies squad for the next two home Rugby Championship matches – against the Springboks and Argentina.
But the powerful 49-Test rake won’t line up in Perth on Saturday week and is no certainty to play the Pumas on the Gold Coast on September 13.
Polota-Nau is battling to recover from a knee ligament strain he sustained since helping the NSW Waratahs to the Super Rugby title on August 2 – meaning he will be without a game in six weeks if he is cleared to play Argentina.
“We’re digging deep in the hooking area,” McKenzie said. “I think if Tatafu spends that week with us, he won’t be far away from being available for that following week.
Queensland’s James Hanson, ranked fourth in the pecking order by Test coach Ewen McKenzie in June, is in line for his first run-on start against the Springboks.
Hanson, with just two caps off the bench to his credit, played solidly in the second half against New Zealand and is set to beat Reds teammate Saia Fainga’a to the No.2 jersey.
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