Michael Cheika insists common sense rather than beefed-up concussion guidelines dictated Tatafu Polota-Nau’s withdrawal from the NSW Waratahs’ Super Rugby clash with the Blues on Saturday night.
Cheika ruled Polota-Nau out before Friday’s captain’s run at Allianz Stadium as the Wallabies hooker continues to recover from a head knock suffered at training last week.
Polota-Nau’s scratching comes 36 hours after Cheika had bracketed him alongside Hugh Roach on the bench, with Tolu Latu retained as starting hooker following an impressive display in Sunday’s commanding win over the Brumbies.
But while Cheika is backing a ruling introduced this year that permits ARU medicos to intervene and demand sideline concussion tests in Super Rugby games, the Waratahs and Wallabies coach says his franchise will always put the player’s welfare first regardless.
“We have always just gone off what the player says,” Cheika said.
“Everyone else in their whole concussion debate, it’s almost like they’ve put in lots of rules because they think the coaches don’t care.
“But it’s the absolute opposite. The players are our biggest asset so why would we go out and risk them?
“Taf wasn’t feeling 100 per cent after training the other day so there was no question.
“We could have in fact let him hang on until Thursday and see how he went, but we’ve got to back our other guys.
“We’ve got a bye next week so he’ll be back for sure the week after.”
In NSW’s round-two win over the Rebels in Melbourne, Kurtley Beale played on for several minutes after taking a blow to the head before ARU doctor Warren McDonald ushered the Waratahs centre off the field following a review of the video replay.
Beale was allowed to return to the action after passing a subsequent concussion test.
Revelations of widespread and devastating long-term brain injuries across the football codes and the IRB’s introduction last year of more advanced concussion tests have brought the issue of concussion treatment into the spotlight.
Cheika supports handing the ARU greater powers – and allowing video replays – to assess a player’s condition.
“They’re learning how to use that. It’s only relatively knew,” he said.
“They’re always going to err on the side of caution and that’s normal.
“As they learn to use it and get some consistency amongst the doctors on what they see, it’ll be fine because then they can explain it to the coaches.”
Cheika is also urging his Waratahs to find some overdue consistency and back up their big derby win over the Brumbies with another 80-minute display against the last-placed but dangerous Blues.
“That consistency is key to going up the ladder,” he said.
“We’ll just keep playing with a bit of ambition and aggression.
“Defence is going to be important also because the Blues are obviously such a big attacking threat.”
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