Giteau to fly home early
Wallabies livewire Matt Giteau appears destined to undergo knee surgery after being told to pack his bags and return early from Australia's European tour.
Versatile inside back Giteau will fly out of the United Kingdom, ending a frustrating tour after he started as Australia's first-choice flyhalf.
He was a shock axing after the 26-16 loss to France and then sustained a crack on his knee when he played off the bench against England a week later.
The injury appears worse than first expected and the 23-year-old has been told there is a 80-90 per cent chance surgery is needed.
As Giteau watched the Wallabies train at Cardiff University's playing fields, his No.10 replacement Mat Rogers (knee) was also forced to shiver on the sidelines.
Rookie centre Lloyd Johansson completed the full session at five-eighth as Australia's players struggled to come to terms with the single-digit temperature.
But coach Eddie Jones remains confident Rogers will train on Thursday and will be right to play Wales come Saturday at Millennium Stadium.
Heartening Jones was the efforts of lock Hugh McMeniman and winger Mark Gerrard to shrug off leg corks to produce energetic sessions.
Gerrard looms as the Wallabies back-up goalkicker to Rogers, while outside back Cameron Shepherd is being considered for a role on the bench due to his radar-boot.
If Giteau undergoes surgery, he would require six weeks off the field but Jones said he should be right to start the 2006 Super 14 for the ACT Brumbies.
Post a comment about this article
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Becoming a member is free and easy, sign up here.