Australia lose Tomane for All Blacks test

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia have suffered a fresh double injury blow ahead of their Bledisloe Cup test against New Zealand this weekend with wingers Joe Tomane and Chris Feauai-Sautia ruled out by hamstring injuries.

Australia lose Tomane for All Blacks test

(Reuters)





Goal-kicking centre Christian Leali'ifano and abrasive flanker Scott Fardy, both of whom started the 54-17 victory over Argentina that concluded the Rugby Championship, had already been ruled out by ankle and eye injuries respectively.

Western Force winger Nick Cummins is also unavailable because of a hand injury, leaving the uncapped Peter Betham, who has been called up as cover, as the only fit specialist winger in the squad.

The versatile Adam Ashley-Cooper started on the wing against Argentina, while Israel Folau played his first five rugby union internationals out wide before moving to full back, and centre Tevita Kuridrani has a similar versatility.

Former rugby league player Tomane also started the match against Argentina in Rosario and enjoyed his best test in a Wallabies shirt to date, scoring one of Australia's seven tries.

Teenager Feauai-Sautia made his debut as a replacement in the defeat to South Africa in Cape Town which preceded the trip to Argentina but failed to make the team for the Pumas clash.

Both will return to the squad for the five-test tour of Europe.

Australia have not beaten the All Blacks in New Zealand since 2001 and, having lost both Rugby Championship tests against the world champions, cannot win the Bledisloe Cup this year.

(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Peter Rutherford)


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