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What a load of BS
Elsom to miss Springbok showdown
From David Benuik in Durban, South Africa
August 26, 2008 AUSTRALIA will get another glimpse of the future on Saturday after Rocky Elsom was suspended for the Tri Nations Test against South Africa.
Elsom was rubbed out for one game by the SANZAR judiciary which finally found him guilty of dangerous play during the second half of Australia's drought-breaking 27-15 win against the Springboks in Durban last Saturday.
The flanker had been cited after pulling down Springboks jumper Victor Matfield in a lineout.
Elsom attended a two-hour hearing only for citing commissioner Nick Davidson QC to postpone his decision.
Australia's team at Ellis Park will now take on the look of the near future without injured lock Dan Vickerman (shoulder) and flanker Elsom, who will both bow out of Test rugby when they head to Europe at season's end.
Reinforcement Nathan Sharpe has joined his team-mates at their base north of Durban but could find himself down the pecking order below rising stars Dean Mumm and Hugh McMeniman.
Sharpe, Mumm and McMeniman will vie for the blindside flanker position and one of the lock spots, with the man missing out likely to sit on the bench.
McMeniman has finally recovered from a bout of food poisoning which forced him out of last Saturday's match and laid him low for three days.
"If it was to happen I think you'd just have to take it in your stride," Mumm said.
"I think I've taken a lot of confidence out of (Saturday), and not knowing I was going to be there (because of McMeniman's illness), and yet the team had such a good result."
The Wallabies have trained for the first time since Saturday's win, fittingly for Kiwi coach Robbie Deans at the Durban Crusaders' ground.
Australia have only once won successive Tests in South Africa - in 1963 when the Wallabies beat the Boks 9-5 in Cape Town and 11-9 in Johannesburg two weeks later.
AAP
Elsom to miss Springbok showdown - Rugby - Fox Sports