The Bledisloe Cup may well have been decided for another year before trusty halves Quade Cooper and Will Genia are available for the Wallabies again.
Both stars were omitted from Australia’s 32-man squad for the Rugby Championship, with Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie revealing Genia was “a way off” returning from ankle surgery.
Cooper, who underwent hip and shoulder surgery in May, was always going to struggle to make it back until late in the Rugby Championship, but it had been hoped Genia would be available for the second Bledisloe clash on August 23 in Auckland, if not quite the first a week earlier in Sydney.
The 55-Test veteran had ankle surgery in June.
McKenzie, though, on Wednesday revealed Genia was only just running again.
“It’s very much at the front-end of running, just getting back,” he said.
“He’s had a couple of running sessions so he’s moving along but he’s still a way off being able to play a game.
“He’s still got to get through a complete training (session) at 100 per cent capacity.
“So we’ll just keep tracking that.”
Cooper and Genia are the only halves pairing to have tasted Test-match success over the top-ranked All Blacks in the past five years.
But even when Genia is back available for selection, Cooper will be at least two or three Tests behind his Queensland Reds teammate after initially being told he’d need 16 weeks to rehabilitate.
The Wallabies’ final Rugby Championship match is in Argentina on October 4 before Australia and New Zealand face off in a potentially decisive Bledisloe Cup showdown in Brisbane two weeks later.
But McKenzie won’t consider Cooper – or anyone for that matter – unless he’s 100 per cent fit.
“Returning to training is one thing but returning to play is another and then being match fit and at the peak of your powers is another thing again,” McKenzie said.
“So there’s three stages in my head about how that goes, so we’ll just keep tracking that.”
Buzzard
Guest
Sydney!
Yogi
Guest
I don't think Foley or Beale have what it takes to be the fly half at the world cup. Ideally Cooper will return to form and resume where he left off at EOYT tour. But it is 50/50% whether that will happen. If he doesn't get back to his best I would like to see Toomua move into flyhalf. Beale will be a great impact player off the bench if he sticks around. Good news about Carmichael Hunt signing. He may come into the equation at 12 as well.
Yogi
Guest
does anyone know if pocock will make it back for tour to eurpoe at end of year?
DrewSampson
Guest
The only thing im worried about is foleys lack of experience. All of our flyhalf experience is in quade and thats why he'll be our world cup flyhalf. There was a few times that foley didnt reAct to the french. Such as when they were defending with 14 in the line but we kept trying to go wide. Im banking on a return of form of genia and him and quade being first choice leading into the worldcup.
stainlesssteve
Guest
The Wallabies are looking dangerous this year. From here, the outcome is fully in the balance
Ajax
Guest
Well I think KB might be our best flyhalf... be interesting to see how he goes with a good scrum in front of him.. hes done well switching from 10-12 this year.. he has too much talent not to be in the starting side. if hes not ten or 12 then he has to get a wing spot methinks.
Jesus
Guest
Australia need to take a few risks to get close to winning the Bledisloe back. They don't stand a chance with Foley at fly half. Beale is the one. He may be inconsistent, but his best is far better than Foley's best. His worst is also far worse than Foley's worst.....No risk, no reward I reckon.
Simon_Sez
Roar Guru
Finally the Wallabies have some depth so the team does not have to rush players back from injury early to plug the gaps.
El Gamba
Roar Guru
I'm not sure what you mean dru
Harry Jones
Guest
1. SA 2. NZ 3. OZ
bricktop
Guest
Onya Buzzard getting those bites as usual. Then again you could be right. I think the Wallabies will get a bit closer than the belters you're predicting but I think the All Blacks will be too good.
44bottles
Roar Guru
Looks like someone's counted their chickens far too early
Smiles
Guest
It's comments like that which will get you put back on the boat and sent back to the second world dump you came from. :)
Dru
Guest
Jesus, that's all you are worried about? I need 1 win against the ABs. That's it. Just 1. And then it's just such a fantastic season. Win the cup? Whoo-ee I'm in with bells on. One win though. Just one win.
Dru
Guest
"It was a bit of turn off wasn’t it." You can't be truly interested in top form Aussie rugby then. QC and Genia, back in true form with fitness... It's just about the only missing ingredient for Aus rugby at the moment. Oh, along with Pocock and Moore injury. Doesn't matter if you like these guys or not. Aus rugby will go better if they are fit and in form.
El Gamba
Roar Guru
I hope the ab's feel the same way.
Buzzard
Guest
It will be a walk in the park for the ABs with White n Foley in the halves for the Wallabies. I'm picking the ABs to easily keep the Bledisloe Cup. ABs by 14 in Sydney, ABs by 30 in Auckland. Going to be just too easy I think! People are talking up the Wallabies after their 3-0 series win over the useless French.....Boo Hoo, good luck. The Wallabies are pretty weak if you ask me, not up to the ABs standard.
JDP
Guest
It was a bit of turn off wasn't it. I like the idea of Foley in the BC. He is feisty aggressive, has no personal demons with ABs and MAYBE has an element of surprise (I think the Abs had really worked out Quade's wide passing game pretty early, and once he became unable to run hard at the line play the game flat and jink through gaps (like Foley is doing now) he has appeared two dimensional ever since.
JDP
Guest
Agree 100% got my fingers crossed for Foley. I really thought that he wouldn't be as good as he has been. The inside word at the Tahs is that Beale REALLY wants that Wallabies 10 jersey. Wouldn't be a bad way to migrate into it, after all DC served his apprenticeship one player out at 12 where some people argued he learnt his running game and defensive strength - although I am not obviously putting them in the same category, I think the comparison is interesting.
Ret
Guest
I wouldn't use the word "trusty" and Cooper in the same sentence.... Well only once! Hopefully they both make successful comebacks, but I've been impressed by Foley so far.