The Waratahs’ difficult start to 2024 has continued, with up-and-coming loose-head prop Tom Lambert likely to miss at least the first month of the Super Rugby season.
The Roar can reveal the 23-year-old, who was called into the Wallabies squad last year during the Bledisloe Cup series, suffered a meniscus injury at training.
Informed sources said the injury is likely to see him miss up to three months, having had surgery earlier in the week after hurting his knee in a rolling maul.
While the Waratahs recruited Hayden Thompson-Stringer and Tom Ross to add some depth to their front-row stocks, the loss of Lambert is bigger than meets the eye.
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Tom Lambert will likely miss the first half of the Super Rugby season after suffering a knee injury at training. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
With Angus Bell set to start at loose-head prop, it’s believed head coach Darren Coleman was viewing Lambert as his deputy and moving Thompson-Stringer across to the tight-head side.
Those plans have now been halted after the young prop, who was forced to carry a heavy load in his first season last year after Bell’s season-ending injury in the first match, went down.
After last weekend’s concerning defeat to the Reds in Roma, the Waratahs were battered and bruised after the second half turned into a scrum fest.
Locks Jed Holloway and Miles Amatosero were two that came away with corks.
The Waratahs will play largely a second-string side against a combined Warringah Rats and Manly Marlins side on Saturday evening to wrap up their preparations ahead of next week’s season opener against the Reds in Brisbane.
But the match could see incumbent Wallabies captain Dave Porecki and World Cup squad member Max Jorgensen return.
Wallabies prop Angus Bell is fit to start the 2024 Super Rugby season after missing the bulk of last year’s Super Rugby season. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
The duo were put through their paces on Thursday and if they pull up well from the training hit out, they could return to finetune themselves ahead of next week’s derby.
Victory is essential for the Waratahs first up, with Coleman’s men to take on the three New Zealand sides – the Crusaders away and Highlanders and Blues at home – in the opening month.
They then have the difficult assignment of taking on Mick Byrne’s Drua side in Fiji.
It’s been widely reported that the Waratahs, who are now owned by Rugby Australia, will make a call on whether to extend Coleman’s contract beyond this year by the end of March.
Meanwhile, Reds young gun Harry McLaughlin-Phillips is favoured to make his debut in the No.10 jersey against the Waratahs next week.
With James O’Connor on the comeback trail from another hamstring injury, Lawson Creighton struggling in his first trial and Tom Lynagh only recently returning from an injury, the 19-year-old looks set to be backed by the Reds coaching staff after a confident display in Roma last weekend.
The Junior Wallabies playmaker, who has tried to implement elements of Finn Russell and Dan Carter’s game into his own, said he felt confident to make his Super Rugby debut if handed the keys by new coach Les Kiss.
“There’s four of us gunning for the same position so everyone’s put their best foot forward this pre-season so now it’s up to the coaches to make a decision,” McLaughlin-Phillips told media on Thursday.
“I’m ready and I think Tom’s ready – he played well in his comeback from his injury – and Lawson’s obviously shown that he can do very well in that position.
“So yeah, I think I’m ready and the other three are all gunning as well.”
RoadBike
Roar Rookie
More Waratahs leg injuries this weekend those who played for the 'A' side. For a pro side vs semi-pro Shute Shield [albeit mostly Academy players in the 'A' Team] very poor result [7-7 and 10-0]. Doesn't say much for the NSW Pathways....
Muglair
Roar Rookie
More of a snide shot at the way the RA board runs the game. Its odd that Singer keeps surviving but maybe they will go better this year. I will wait for next Saturday's FT whistle before I reach for my Waratah engraved razor.
Muglair
Roar Rookie
Usually the case :crying: I will wait and see if the Reds dominate again next week before I reach for the hankies.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Surely not Mug! The attack hasn’t fired in all the time Anthems has led it. (Best it’s looked was in trials last year but then they couldn’t execute in season and didn’t select the side to deliver it) Gilmore’s defence has been poor, good and now seemingly poor again so not a great record either but he’s at least had some success.
Lomax
Roar Rookie
Hugely disappointing lessons are not being learnt. Excessive Pre-season injuries are generally due to over training or players not being managed/prepared properly. Makes sense if DC is under pressure to keep his job. But again it’s poor coaching. Blades has left and sounds like DC was focused on recruitment
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
“ RA to make call on Coleman by end of March? FFS why? ” Because Mugs, at any given time, somewhere in the world a coach is being called into a head office for a tricky chat. So they’ll pick someone up if they need to. But how Coleman’s lower tier success hasn’t translated at Super level is a tad mysterious. Maybe there’s something iffy in the state of MoorePark?
Wig1
Roar Rookie
You all good,in lean times well read it :thumbup:
Bobby
Roar Rookie
Christy, I blame you for me not winning the $200 mill Lotto ! Disgraceful. :laughing:
Gepetto
Roar Rookie
This Jock talk reminds me of the talk of Bernaaaarrd boosters when he was around. He had a good game against Scotland once. Jock is a lean athletic player with good passing skills who had a nice game against the Waratahs in a trial match! Petaia wouldn't get injuries if he didn't try so hard; he should get some instructions from Suli.
Gepetto
Roar Rookie
I hope HM-P doesn't have to play 80 minutes and that Lawson gets some game time at #10. It's a long season. I guess we'll see if Les has any brains.
Christy Doran
Editor
Ah yes, Doran's fault. Please.
Bobby
Roar Rookie
Yes a lot of soft tissue injuries are preventable ( hammy, calf etc) and can be minimised by good S&C techniques. The other “collision” injuries are a fact of life in a sport like ours.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Roar Guru
Ankles, it is of course ridiculous to continue to blame Dave Rennie. Most sensible people accept that it’s all Quade’s fault.
Old school rugby
Roar Rookie
It’s Jock’s year.
Nick Maguire
Roar Rookie
Bobby, Yep the mechanism of injury is important to consider because it could be external such as a collision, over lengtheng soft tissue or putting a joint through abnormal range of motion such as twisting forces. Or, as you say your time is up and an innocuous action results in an ACL.
Bobby
Roar Rookie
OSR, probably right on Jock but his best position for the Reds is at 15. Only Petaia to compete with and he just rarely performs (at 15) so he should be on the wing if he has to be selected (and I wouldnt). The only flaw in Jocks game, whether real or just perceived, is his tackling. Hope he pulls off a couple if good tackles in Game 1 to dispel that perception.
Bobby
Roar Rookie
Nick, you obviously have expertise in this area. Surely most of these knee and shoulder injuries come from "contact" training or playing. Suppose it doesn't matter how you record or prepare, if the Number 109 Bus to Manly hits you side on in the knee in a ruck, maul or tackle, it won't be the bumper bar that is damaged !
Bobby
Roar Rookie
Surely not but ...
Busted Fullback
Roar Rookie
G’day jez. Feeling for your boys and the injured ones the way only a Qlder could. :crying: My concern really is what’s going to happen to the players from the other clubs when they join Wallaby training camps? It seems to me RA/NSW track record is not encouraging. We, as a nation, can’t afford any unforced injuries in our SR teams during the season. It will destroy our confidence during SR, once again giving the kiwis more self belief than they need. Then our hopes for Bled and RC… :shocked:
Muglair
Roar Rookie
I do think that is a pivotal game for the Waratahs. So do you think Waugh intends to install Whittaker?