The Wallabies are confident star centre Samu Kerevi will be available for the opening Rugby World Cup clash next month despite picking up a probable broken hand in the final stages of the Wallabies’ loss to the All Blacks in Dunedin.
Kerevi left the field in the 74th minute of the Wallabies’ three-point defeat after catching his right hand awkwardly while going for an intercept. After playing on for a few minutes, and holding his hand gingerly, Kerevi was replaced by Izzy Perese.
Jones confirmed post-game the big No.12 had picked up an injury, along with hooker Dave Porecki, who left the field with a shoulder problem, and back-up hooker Jordan Uelese, who was a late withdrawal due to a knee injury.
Kerevi’s hand was bandaged as the Wallabies flew home on Sunday and will have scans on Monday. Sources with knowledge of the situation said Kerevi is likely to undergo a minor operation to stabilise a fracture.
With a recovery time of around three weeks, a broken hand is not ideal but is still a better result than other potential ligament problems in the hand and wrist.
The Wallabies are confident Kerevi will be right to play against Georgia in Paris on September 9, and could even be an outside chance to play against France on August 25 in a warm-up game at the same venue.
Samu Kerevi, with ice on his hand after the match, speaking to Damian McKenzie and Beauden Barrett.Credit: Getty
But with outside centre Len Ikitau already racing the clock to be fit after suffering a broken shoulder, Kerevi’s injury will add a further wrinkle to Jones’ plans for the start of the tournament. The Wallabies’ second fixture is a crunch game against Fiji on September 18.
Injuries to Porecki and his back-up Jordan Uelese are also a source of concern, and will also be the subject of scans on Monday. Debutant hooker Matt Faessler, who was called up for Uelese on the morning of the game, turned in a reassuringly solid in his 66 minutes however and showed he’s more than ready for Test rugby.
The Wallabies are flying to a pre-departure camp in Darwin mid-week and Folau Fainga’a is expected to join as extra cover at hooker.
Jones will name his 33-man squad for the Rugby World Cup on Thursday night.
Matt Faessler carries the ball on debut.Credit: Getty
Still on the comeback trail from a calf injury, Michael Hooper’s attendance at the camp – and overall inclusion in the World Cup squad – remains a big question mark. Though Hooper is a co-captain of the side, Fraser McReight and Tom Hooper have stepped up in his absence in the No.7.
Asked if he would pick players in his squad who are not available for the Georgia game, Jones in Melbourne said he didn’t want to give “a blanket response to that question”.
Though overall depth in the front row would still be a concern, Jones would have taken heart from the performance of tighthead prop Pone Fa’amausili in his run-on debut in Dunedin.
With Allan Alaalatoa gone for the season and Taniela Tupou out with a rib injury, Fa’amausili was given the No.3 spot and turned in a superb performance, playing almost 60 minutes.
Pone Fa’aumasili charges forward against the All Blacks.Credit: AP
Jones hailed the game of Fa’amausili post-match, saying the 135kg, 196cm giant had gone from a prop who could only play 15 minutes for the Rebels to playing big minutes against the All Blacks, and contributing well.
Fa’amausili has only averaged 34 minutes per game in 40 games for the Rebels but he said Jones had driven him to change his mindset, and extend his limits.
“Sometimes people thought I didn’t have that in me, with minutes. At the Rebels I have been coming off the bench, so I was really stoked to get the start and play as many minutes as I did,” Fa’amausili said.
“Eddie has been massive for me. Everyone knows Eddie gets stuck into me on the field, in training. He is always giving me chat. But he just wants the best for me, I know where the chat is coming from.
“He is just pushing me to my limits and he really wants to see me change my mindset. I feel like I have always had it, but it’s just a mindset thing.”
Fa’amausili stepping up in his fourth Test was a positive and with Tupou expected back, the problem of the Wallabies scrum weakening in the last quarter will go some way to be resolved.
Two-cap rookie Zane Nonnggor was successfully targeted when he came on to replace Fa’amausili and the All Blacks used a dominant scrum to build pressure, and ultimately the winning points.
