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Major blow for Brumbies
AAP | Tuesday, 19 February 2008
Major blow for Brumbies - Rugby news & coverage - Stuff.co.nz
The Brumbies have suffered a major blow with the loss of powerhouse Wallabies back Adam Ashley-Cooper for almost half the Super 14 season.
Ashley-Cooper sustained a high ankle strain in the first half of the Brumbies' opening-round 34-3 loss to the Crusaders which is expected to keep him out for six weeks.
The 23-year-old utility was among the brightest sparks for Australia in 2007 and was seen as a key figure for the ACT-based franchise as skipper and outside centre Stirling Mortlock recovered from shoulder surgery.
Mortlock returned to training in Canberra on Monday but won't be back at outside centre until the middle of the competition, which is the time Ashley-Cooper is also expected back.
His loss with syndesmosis has been further complicated by a neck injury to inside centre Gene Fairbanks, leaving coach Laurie Fisher contemplating the selection of a rookie midfield combination.
Anthony Faingaa and George Smith's younger brother Tyrone are being sized up for the centres against the Highlanders on Saturday night, which would give the Brumbies their most inexperienced backline of all time.
The dual blow means Fisher, already without George Gregan and Stephen Larkham, is without his most senior quartet of backs - Mortlock, Ashley-Cooper, Fairbanks and Clyde Rathbone - for their opening home game.
Fisher is hoping to bolster his forward pack with Wallabies lock Mark Chisholm (groin) and ex-Queenslander Mitch Chapman (back) in line to return.
Chapman would make his Brumbies debut after missing the loss to the Crusaders.
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