Young No.10 Will Harrison suffered a shoulder injury as the Waratahs beat the Brumbies 24-14 in a Super Rugby trial match in persistent rain at Bowral.
Harrison came off clutching his shoulder in the final minutes, while the Brumbies had earlier lost their playmaker Rodney Iona to a calf injury.
A Tahs spokesman told The Roar the seriousness of Harrison’s injury would not be known until he was examined on Monday. He said the team had no other injury concerns emerging from the trial.
The Tahs gave 39 players a run while the Brumbies featured a 17-man bench as coaches Darren Coleman and Dan McKellar were grateful for the hit out despite tough conditions.
Iona only played 15 minutes before limping off, with Wallabies No.10 Noah Lolesio getting the bulk of the match as his replacement.
“We’ll have a look at Rodney Iona, a bit of a sore calf there. It was tough conditions to play any sort of footy,” McKellar told the Canberra Times.
“It was a good day to test our defence and review our defence. It gives us something to review as a coaching group. When we applied pressure through our kicking game and put them under pressure with our kick chase, I thought that was good.
“Lineout and maul showed some good signs there, a lot of young blokes there doing it for the first time. A little bit disappointed with how we scrummaged but they were out there with pretty much their first-choice pack. It was a good learning for some of our young boys.”
McKellar gave a start to former Wallabies winger Chris Feauai-Sautia who joined from the Reds while there were also starting debuts for Hudson Creighton at outside centre, Remsy Lemisio at loosehead, Charlie Cale at flanker and Declan Meredith on the wing.
Ryan Lonergan, who captained the Brumbies, scored inside the opening two minutes before the YTahs crossed through centre Lalakai Foketi after an attacking scrum in the Brumbies 22.
Ben Donaldson missed the kick to leave the score at 7-5 at halftime.
Donaldson scored a brilliant solo try in the second half while Waratahs winger James Turner added an excellent finish in the corner and later sealed the win with his second.
“We’ve spoken a lot about being Tah tough and that’s exactly what we were tonight,” Coleman said as per the Tahs website.
“I thought we defended our try-line with passion and vigour, and I couldn’t be prouder of the effort the boys put in tonight.
“I’m really pleased for the boys that played all last year without a win to get that winning feeling back.”
jeznez
Roar Guru
He got his chances last year due to Wright's injury, Blyth's drop in form and the Reds lineout woes. If the locks are sorted then Harry Wilson will be 8 and I prefer Wright and Uru for the 6 and 19 jumpers.
Geoff
Guest
"With regard to ASY – he doesn’t make the top Reds 23 (IMO) solid player but don’t think he’s unlucky at all." It`s fortunate that Thorn is a head coach and you aren`t, ASY is the most valuable backrower the Reds have.It`s probably a reason why the won they comp and Swinton was a total disaster for the ta tahs.
Tez
Roar Rookie
Unfortunately Joey Walton is gone for another season .... ACL again
Morsie
Roar Rookie
Qlanders, forever stuck in the past, anything to feed a grudge.
Zulu
Guest
Disagree Azza I really think it all comes down to Cooper Kerevi and Korobiete axis who are the best and most pivotal players in Wallabies set up. Without them they just floundered and became once again a mediocre team as we saw on the European trip. I will say DR unbelievably adding Will " slow motion" Skelton to the 23 was a total disaster as well. Phillip and Swain are so superior to him in every facet of lock play it is not funny. The Will Skelton experiment is done and dusted.
Rhys
Roar Rookie
Don't you worry mate, it is a persistent whinge of mine too! It was and is still an issue for the WBs, but Rennie made a specific statement post Wales that he wanted to improve here big time this season and onwards. If they can, I'll be a much happier camper.
jeznez
Roar Guru
I hope that Fraser and Harry took the opportunity that staying back from the NH tour was. Was something that a younger Hanigan would have really benefited from. If you watched the trial on the weekend then hopefully you took note of Frost and the physical gains he made staying home. You cannot make those same increases without being afforded a dedicated training window. With regard to ASY - he doesn't make the top Reds 23 (IMO) solid player but don't think he's unlucky at all.
Geoff
Guest
The coach was wrong as he had a 0-3 EOYT catastrophe . Always take your in form players.He is becoming Cheika 2.0 with his bizzarre selections.
Azza
Guest
Jez for longevity in the game Hooper needed a break Frazer was next in line. Colby had to come in when Hooper was injured as he never stops playing.Burn out will happen again,. Harry deserved a tour for his magnificent form and Angus has been incredible for 2 years without recognition .Leota was lucky to get a gig over Angus imo.
MO
Guest
Mate your easily the best Reds won a close one and lost a close one against the Force. Which Tahs should have left behind in favour of whom? Wilson, Wright and McReight were the only Reds available to tour who'd have been good enough in the pack and the coach decided that they would be better off staying home. Daugunu toured. The others a bit small and not obviously more likely to be impactful at test level than Perese and co. During the season we saw that Paisami plus a small Reds centre doesn't have enough power at super level so how likely is to work at test level. The Tahs bias is more at Board level than picking a team.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Too many Tahs yeah? So you wanted McReight over Hooper, Scott-Young over Swinton and Wilson over some other mystery Tah that I didn’t notice in the touring party. Nah, don’t think those blokes have a point at all.
Azza
Guest
Jez , Geoff does have a solid point. The Reds were the best team easily and the Tahs were the worst team easily but they still had equal amount of players selected to tour. Not a good look and i have been a Tah tragic for over 40 years. Harry Angus and Frasers should have toured imo
Mrs Rugby
Roar Rookie
You shouldn't hope for anyone to be injured. Donaldson played well and Harrison out for a few weeks.
Mrs Rugby
Roar Rookie
Did you read the article? Time to let 2021 go.
jeznez
Roar Guru
You blokes are brilliant. Geoff, what is included in a "supper AU"? Is it a pie and sauce with side of chips? Maybe a few extra chips. If there is not enough room on your plate for all the chips you may be able to sneak one on to your shoulder.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Don’t think we have to wish for injury. Donaldson looks the clear cut first choice at the Tahs for now.
JP
Guest
Exactly, there is no higher reward for winning Super Rugby unless you wear sky blue. When the Waratahs won the comp in 2014 over half the Wallaby 23 were Waratahs. In 2021 Reds Wright Wilson Mafi McReight ASY Campbell Henry and Fotuiaika were dudded by Rennie. Look out if the NSW Waratahs win half their games. Rennie will be told to stack the Wallaby 23 with them,
Geoff
Guest
The tahs are soft ( especially the pack) that`s why they lost every game in 2021.Imagine if the supper AU title winning reds forwards played like the soft Tah pack in 2021 ,they wouldn`t have had many forwards on the EOYT. Oh wait. 42 players selected to tou,r only one reds forward. Winning super rugby is pointless under the tah quota system.
Malo
Guest
Hope Harrison is injured so Donaldson plays 10 and will be the 10 for the Wallabies
Tim J
Roar Rookie
I agree Rhys, discipline was an issue. Players need to have more belief in the players around them.