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Qantas Wallabies vice captain Berrick Barnes, 23, has been ruled out of the remainder of the team’s Spring Tour of Japan and Europe.
Barnes rolled his ankle at training on Thursday, with an MRI scan late today subsequently revealing that he has suffered a tear of the syndesmosis ligaments in his left ankle.
The injury will require further treatment, and quite possibly surgery, and will sideline the player for several months at least.
Barnes will return to Australia on the first available flight out of Tokyo.
As a result of tonight’s news, Australia Under-20 flyhalf Matt Toomua now becomes a full replacement in the squad, after initially being called up to cover for Barnes in Tuesday night’s tour match against English Premiership club Gloucester.
The 19-year-old Toomua left Sydney for London last night, and will join up with the Qantas Wallabies touring party when the team arrives in the United Kingdom on Sunday afternoon to begin its six match tour of the United Kingdom and Ireland.
Toomua’s presence will give Qantas Wallabies coach Robbie Deans 34 available players to select from for the midweek match. This will allow the coach to minimise the involvement against Gloucester of members of the Test squad involved in tomorrow night’s fourth Bledisloe Cup Test against New Zealand at the National Stadium in Tokyo.
Three players who start in tomorrow night’s Test match in Tokyo will be required for the match night 22 at Gloucester. Deans says these players will only be named on the bench.
The Qantas Wallabies side to play Gloucester will be named on Monday morning (England time).
Toomua has become the second member of the Brumbies to be added to the touring party this week, after midfield back Tyrone Smith was added to the group as replacement for NSW Waratahs back Rob Horne, who tore his hamstring at training.
Toomua represented his country at the Under-20 Rugby World Cup in Japan earlier in the year and is just back from a short stint playing for Western Province in South Africa’s Currie Cup provincial competition.
Earlier this year, he featured in eight matches for the Brumbies senior squad during the 2009 Investec Super 14. This included starts at flyhalf in each of the team’s last four matches. Toomua has played 12 Super rugby matches for the Brumbies thus far in his career.
Dear Lord, if you give us back Johnny Cash, we'll give you Justin Bieber.
Crappo
He will be sincerely missed. Shame. Cooper/JOC will need to step up big time now. I'd rather one of them at 12 than AAC.
A kick in this game is like a rather nasty alcoholic shooter, only as good as it's chaser...
Courtesy of quality South African commentry
I imagine the Gloucester Selection to be something along the lines of:
1 Matt Dunning
2 Stephen Moore
3 Sekope Kepu
4 Dean Mumm
5 Mitchell Chapman
6 Matt Hodgson
7 George Smith
8 Richard Brown
9 Luke Burgess
10 Quade Cooper
11 Drew Mitchell
12 Tyrone Smith
13 Digby Ioane
14 Lachie Turner
15 Kurtley Beale
16 Pekahou Cowan
17 Salesi Ma’afu
18 Mark Chisholm
19 Dave Dennis
20 Richard Kingi
21 Matt Toomua
22 James O’Connor
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
I imagine the Gloucester Selection to be something along the lines of:
1 Matt Dunning
2 Stephen Moore
3 Sekope Kepu
4 Dean Mumm
5 Mitchell Chapman
6 Matt Hodgson
7 George Smith
8 Richard Brown
9 Luke Burgess
10 Quade Cooper
11 Drew Mitchell
12 Tyrone Smith
13 Digby Ioane
14 Lachie Turner
15 Kurtley Beale
16 Pekahou Cowan
17 Salesi Ma’afu
18 Mark Chisholm
19 Dave Dennis
20 Richard Kingi
21 Matt Toomua
22 James O’Connor
"Bloody oath we did!"
Nathan Sharpe, Legend.
dammit. now we have to wait until next year to see him at 10 in gold...
I missed that game, so I'll take your word for it. I'd prefer either of those two at 12 because AAC is becoming quite a fantastic 15. He's far superior to JOC in the position currently. James probably given the time would be way better at 15, but he should have the development time at 12 instead. Hmm, potentially two is too much, yes.
Burgs - I think Dean's'll start Pek. At least, I hope so!
A kick in this game is like a rather nasty alcoholic shooter, only as good as it's chaser...
Courtesy of quality South African commentry