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Knee means Peter Hynes out of squad
- Bret Harris
- From: The Australian
- July 12, 2010 12:00AM
DEMOTED Wallaby winger Drew Mitchell may get a reprieve for the Test against South Africa after Peter Hynes was ruled out with a knee injury.
Hynes, who had minor knee surgery after Queensland's Super 14 campaign, has aggravated the injury at training and is out indefinitely.
With Hynes and fellow Reds winger Digby Ioane (dislocated shoulder) on the sideline,
Wallabies coach Robbie Deans has invited Mitchell, Cameron Shepherd and Nick Cummins to attend training in Sydney today, rounding out the squad to 30 players.
This will give Mitchell, who was omitted from the Wallabies Tri-Nations squad announced last Thursday, a chance to redeem himself.
Mitchell scored four tries in Sydney club Randwick's 53-10 win against Penrith at Nepean Rugby Park on Saturday, while Galloping Greens teammate Cummins crossed over for one five-pointer.
But there has never been an issue with Mitchell's brilliant attacking ability. It was his poor defensive effort in the Wallabies' 21-20 loss to England in the second Test in Sydney that put his position in jeopardy.
And then he played uncertainly in the 22-15 win against Ireland in Brisbane. Deans left Mitchell out of the squad even though he did not have many other options on the wing.
Apart from Hynes and Ioane, outside back Adam Ashley-Cooper was the only member of the squad who has started a Test on the wing, although fullbacks Kurtley Beale and James O'Connor have had limited experience on the flank.
Mitchell will face strong competition from Shepherd, who played reasonably well in front of Wallabies selector David Nucifora in Northern Suburbs' 45-12 loss to Eastwood at TG Millner Field in Sydney on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the Western Force has confirmed that Shepherd has re-signed for another two years.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news...-1225890478135