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Waratahs hit with triple blow
- Bret Harris
- From: The Australian
- April 13, 2010 12:00AM
ON top of losing number eight Wycliff Palu for the rest of the Super 14 season, NSW Waratahs are in danger of being without another two key forwards, hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau and loosehead prop Benn Robinson, for up to a month.
Palu (knee), Polota-Nau and Robinson (forearm) were injured in the Waratahs' 20-13 loss to the Crusaders in Christchurch on Saturday night.
Scans yesterday confirmed the worst-case scenario for Palu, who will require a knee reconstruction, sidelining him for six to nine months.
The scans also revealed Polota-Nau has sustained ligament damage in a shoulder and Robinson has a fractured forearm.
Fortunately for the Waratahs, they have a bye this weekend.
While Polota-Nau and Robinson have not been ruled out of the important match with the Brumbies at ANZ Stadium on Saturday week, they are unlikely to play. "It's too early to put a date on it," Waratahs coach Chris Hickey said yesterday. "We'll see how quickly they heal.
"The Brumbies game is highly unlikely, but I wouldn't rule it out. You are looking at two to four weeks. We are working towards sooner rather than later. We'll try and get them back for the last couple of rounds."
Hickey said Robinson had to regain strength in his forearm to allow him to scrummage.
"Benn has to get his gripping strength back. If you haven't got gripping strength in his position, it makes it very difficult. Tatafu is in the same category as Benn. In the position he plays his shoulder is critical to the job.
"It's disappointing to lose three big players in one game. They are pretty dominant players in their positions. It makes it tough.
"But injuries are part of this competition. We have to pick ourselves up and move forward. We believe we have good strength in our squad and now we'll see it."
Ben Mowen is expected to replace Palu at number eight, while Sekope Kepu will take Robinson's place at loosehead if he is unfit. If Polota-Nau is ruled out of the Brumbies game, Damien Fitzpatrick would start at hooker, while former Australia hooker Adam Freier could make a comeback on the bench.
Freier, who last week signed to play for Super 15 expansion team Melbourne Rebels, has not played since injuring his back in Randwick's loss to Sydney University in last year's Sydney grand final.
After returning to full training with the Waratahs in recent weeks, Freier was due to play for Randwick against Sydney University last Saturday, but withdrew.
If Freier plays for Randwick on Saturday, he would put himself in contention to notch his 100th game for NSW against his former team. But if Freier is not fit, NSW would call up former Western Force hooker Luke Holmes.
"We hoped Adam would play last week, but he didn't," Hickey said. "We hope he can get some game time this weekend. He's one of our options. Luke Holmes has been training with us. He played for Warringah last Saturday and played strongly."
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news...-1225852945831
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Originally Posted by Burgs
