Injuries force Deans to shuffle Wallabies squad

Scott Higginbotham, Sitaleki Timani and Digby Ioane have been dropped from Robbie Deans’ 25-man Wallabies squad after their injuries were confirmed to meaning lengthy time off the field.

While injuries can’t be unexpected – we are now in June of a long, competitive rugby season – it’s a shame to see this year’s turnaround in injury ward start to unravel.

Here’s the rundown and what it could mean for the Wallabies team to face the Lions, who played their first warm up match in the very warm Hong Kong.

Scott Higginbotham
Higginbotham, out due to a shoulder dislocation, has to be the biggest blow of the weekend. He’s been in career best form for the Rebels where he’s been given captaincy and has finally combined his prodigious athleticism and coordination with a high octane work-rate.

It was when he went off the field, combined with the loss of Hugh Pyle, that meant the Reds pack started controlling the game last night.

Nathan Sharpe remarked a number of times during the match about the level of ‘inspirational’ play Higginbotham has provided to the Rebels.

Sharpe would have to be considered an up-to-date authority on that particular issue in Australian rugby given his own exploits in struggling sides.

As I pointed out last week, the Wallabies are looking for inspiration in the big moments to go with their 2013 ability to stay close in big games. It’s the individual brilliance to top that off Higginbotham may have brought to this year’s side that will now be missed.

In terms of the back-row, Ben McCalman has been called into the squad as replacement.

I don’t quite know what to make of that other than we really need to feel sorry for Matt Hodgson and Chris Alcock, both Force backrowers have been much better than McCalman this year – including in the areas of the field a number eight occupies, they’ve just been stronger players in every aspect.

With the loss of Higginbotham, the backrow is now looking less likely to be an area won by the Wallabies by a smidge and at best will probably be a draw.

Sitaleki Timani
The loss of Timani to a broken thumb will worry fewer Australian fans, but the fact another goes down just as we were lamenting the slow season Horwill has had and the injury to Hugh McMeniman is worrying.

The stocks are low now.

After watching Paul O’Connel, Richie Gray and Alun Wyn-Jones get through a mountain of good work against the Lions there would be serious concerns about how we’ll fare in the second row.

Kane Douglas drafted in as a replacement shows Robbie Deans really is worried about the bulk in the Lions pack.

If he wanted to bolster the lineout he’d have selected Rob Simmons who’s had quite a strong month in a faltering Reds outfit.

The Timani injury may have given Pyle a chance to join the Wallabies squad as a bolter in light of his recent brilliant form (I had him as the form Aussie lock in a column last week) but he, too, went off injured with a shoulder complaint against the Reds and that probably ended his hopes.

The Wallabies really need Hugh McMeniman back from injury next week so he can strengthen the second row and a covering option in the backrow too.

Digby Ioane
A knee complaint has required surgery for Ioane. He’s out of the squad but will be in the preparation group so the national team doctors can monitor his recovery progress.

The first Wallabies winger picked going missing isn’t a good outcome even if he might have been fighting injury and therefore a bit slower than usual for much of the year. He still showed the ability to break tackles and kept looking for work.

The replacement of Ioane with Nick Phipps in the squad is a bit of a strange one.

Firstly, it looks to firm Israel Folau as a possible starting wing as another hasn’t been drafted in. That comes even as new reports suggesting he’s very close to signing with the Bulldogs in the NRL.

Nic Phipps, presumably, has been given the nod because he’s a teammate of James O’Connor at the Rebels.

While Will Genia is the clear starter and will spend a lot of time training with O’Connor in the first team, the relationship should at Super Rugby level should allow Phipps to quickly link up with O’Connor during games if required.

Many Nic White followers will be somewhat aggrieved by that decision, and maybe fairly so. He’s been great this year and was possible the Brumbies best player in the win over the Hurricanes.

In his defence, Phipps has had a resurgent couple of weeks since riding the pine. He has shown a willingness to move the ball quickly and picks out forward runners well enough to maintain momentum. He’s also very quick and supports small breaks well and cleans up behind the line when the opposition does the same.

All in all, this weekend saw the Wallabies hopes dealt a bit of a blow, if only because Higginbotham was the form forward in Australia before walking off Suncorp on Saturday night.