WARRINGTON – Reagan Campbell-Gillard expects to be fit for Australia’s quarter final with Lebanon on Friday night (Saturday morning AEDT) despite departing their win over Italy early with a leg injury.
He sustained a cork late in the first half and didn’t return for the second, but coach Mal Meninga played down the chances of him missing next weekend’s game in the post-match presser, and that the 24-hour medical care available in camp would assist in managing the injury.
Speaking in the sheds, RCG said that he would need until midweek to know whether he could train and play.
“It’s a good old-fashioned cork,” said the Parra prop. “It’s something I haven’t had for a while and I just couldn’t get any movement going. Old mate got me really well and my tolerance to pain and trauma to my leg – I don’t cope well.
“I should be fine. It’s mainly about getting the swelling down so that’s my main priority and getting me free and ready to be running by Tuesday or Wednesday for training.”
He joked that he already had rough treatment planned for his clubmate, Mitchell Moses, the star of the Cedars team that Australia will face.
“He has been sending texts for the last two weeks,” said Campbell-Gillard of Moses. “They’re going really well and have got a very good and experienced side. If I get the chance to be there, it’d be exciting.”
England lock Victor Radley will face a race against time to make their quarter final with Papua New Guinea after sustaining an arm injury in his side’s comfortable win over Greece.
Over 50 of his family and friends were present at Bramall Lane, in his father’s hometown of Sheffield, but Radley failed to complete the game, pulling out in pain after he lined up a shot and caught his arm.
According to teh NRL Physio, Radley could have suffered a hyperextension, which could be resolved within time to feature against the Kumuls or, should England make it that far, in a semi-final, but could also have potentially fractured his arm, which would end his tournament.
Tonga have secured a place in the last eight of the Rugby League World Cup with a huge victory over Cook Islands that spoiled their opponents’ evocative visit to the English north east.
The islands are named after English explorer Captain Cook who was the first European to set foot on them in 1773.
While on Teesside the squad have engaged with local schoolchildren and visited the Captain Cook Birthplace Museum to coincide with the 294th anniversary of the navigator’s birth.
But at Middlesbrough they were thrashed by Tonga, where Cook also landed in 1773.
Tonga’s 92-10 win was the third highest winning score in the tournament’s history, with four tries from Will Penisini, a hat-trick for wing Tesi Niu, and 14 successful conversions from halfback Isaiya Katoa, who also touched down to complete a personal haul of 32 points.
It was a dismal collapse from Tony Iro’s team, who had acquitted themselves well in their opening two Group D fixtures against Wales and Papua New Guinea, but soon appeared to lose their appetites amid a distinctly un-South Seas climate at the Riverside Stadium.
Tonga crossed within 90 seconds of the start through halfback Isaiya Katoa, but the Cook Islands at least hinted at a feisty challenge on 10 minutes when Steve Marsters burst half the length of the pitch only to see his try ruled out for a knock-on.
It proved their final flourish, as three minutes later captain Jason Taumalolo barged unchallenged through the underdogs’ rearguard and set the tone for a remarkably one-sided first period which ended with the Tongans 52 points to the good.
Katoa added a first try to his growing tally from his unerring boot before Nui completed his hat-trick as the Tongans, relatively disappointing in their opening two fixtures, cruised into the quarter-finals.
Marsters earned a rousing reception when he crossed for the Cook Islands’ first points with the game long gone, before Tinirau Arona scored and converted a second opportunity for the visitors on the hooter to at least give his side double digits and something to savour as they prepare to set sail for home.
With AAP
What to look out for in this weekend's round of international footy.
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