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Four players have been sent home from the Wallabies’ World Cup training squad camp in Canberra today after failing fitness requirements during today’s testing sessions at the AIS.
Wallabies Mark Gerrard, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Lote Tuqiri and Morgan Turinui will return to their home States this afternoon to undertake fitness programs after failing to meet the required fitness levels during the camp.
Qantas Wallabies Coach John Connolly said that players were required to meet certain standards of physical fitness during the camp.
“We set some standards for this camp at the end of the Spring Tour and the four players have been sent home for failing to meet those standards,” said Connolly.
“They will resume training with their Super 14 teams tomorrow to start fitness programs,” he said.
Connolly said that taking action against the four players would send a strong message to others hopeful of inclusion in the final World Cup squad.
“Players were told at the start of the camp that if they were unable to meet certain standards they would be removed from the camp,” he said.
“We have very limited time available to us for physical preparation before the World Cup and this camp was to give us a platform from which to build on for the rest of the year,” said Connolly.
The remaining squad of 43 players will complete the final day of the 3-day camp tomorrow (Friday 5 January), having completed core strength, running and strength tests over the past two days.