SAINT ETIENNE – Will Skelton and Taniela Tupou are out of the Wallabies’ do-or-die World Cup match against Wales.
Having witnessed the Wallabies fall to Fiji for the first time in 69 years, Eddie Jones delivered the sobering news that neither would be fit enough for the must-win game in Lyon next week.
After days of smoke and mirrors, Skelton was officially ruled out of the Wallabies’ loss to Fiji on Monday AEST because of a calf injury – although the Wallabies gave him until the last minute before making the call.
Tupou, whose hamstring injury was also revealed by The Roar to be worse than the minor complaint Wallabies officials suggested, was earlier ruled out with a hamstring strain.
“Neither of those will be available for Wales,” said Jones post-match, while adding the loss couldn’t be blamed on Skelton’s absence.
Will Skelton in a leg brace ahead of the match against Fiji . (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Skelton, The Roar understands, pinged his calf at the Wallabies’ final training session on Thursday – less than 24 hours before he was named to start against Fiji.
For 48 hours the Wallabies insisted Skelton remained a chance to play despite his hulking presence missing at their captain’s run on Saturday and team photo.
Then confirmation came through, as Skelton walked onto the field in a moon boot as his teammates began their warm-up.
Jones insisted that the Wallabies had every right to keep the public guessing as to whether Skelton would take the field.
“We wanted to try to get him right if we could; I said that on Thursday,” Jones said.
“Under regulations we only need to name a team an hour before kick-off, so all we were doing is being good boys, following the regulations of the tournament.
“Have you got a problem with that … following the regulations of the tournament?”
Will Skelton was a notable omission from the Wallabies’ team photograph ahead of their match against Fiji at Stade Geoffroy-Guichard on September 16, 2023. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
While the Wallabies’ lineout operated well in the absence of Skelton, the La Rochelle-based lock’s physicality was hugely missed as the Fijians took it to Jones’ men across the field.
Their inability to dent the line denied them quick ball and also gave Fiji extra time and space to attack the Wallabies’ breakdown.
“We can’t blame the loss on Skelton not being there,” Jones said. “We’ve got to be good enough to be able to cope with that.
“And the penalties, when you’re not on the front foot, it’s quite easy to give away penalties. So I’m not worried about our discipline, I’m worried about not getting on the front foot.
“Any game of rugby, you’ve got to get on the front foot. If you can’t get on the front foot, then you’re battling it.
“It was always going to be a tough day in terms of the officiating of the game. We knew that. I expected that, but we weren’t good enough to cope with it.”
With the Wallabies to face Portugal in their final Pool C clash, which is then followed by a bye week, Jones is hoping Tupou and Skelton are fit in time for the quarter-finals. That’s if they make it that far, of course.
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