Boom Wallabies flanker Jack Dempsey has been ruled out of the tour of Japan and Europe, as the team count the cost of their 31-28 win against the Barbarians in an exhibition game in Sydney.
Dempsey was assisted off the field on Saturday in the 74th minute at Allianz Stadium. While the nature of his injury was not confirmed, there was speculation he had torn his hamstring from the bone.
"Whatever it is, it's serious," coach Michael Cheika said.
"There's no doubt he'll be out of the tour. He's in a fair bit of pain. It's unfortunate his season is over.
"He is a young fella who is coming up through the ranks. He has had a couple of starts and he did well in the last game (against the All Blacks). He's not going to forget how to play footy between now and next year."
Second-rower Lukhan Tui is also in doubt for the tour after coming off with a hamstring injury, while lock Rory Arnold is likely to stay at home with the knee injury which had forced him out of the Barbarians game.
One player who staked a claim for a spot in the touring party was back-rower Ben McCalman, who made a rousing return from injury.
McCalman was restricted to just one Super Rugby game this year with the Western Force, but he was one of the Wallabies' best forwards with his strong running and tackling.
"Ben McCalman put his hand up pretty strongly for a guy who hasn't played a lot of footy," Cheika said.
Just a week after upsetting the All Blacks in Brisbane, a second-string Wallabies came back from 21-5 down against the Barbarians, outscoring them five tries to four.
Barbarians and former Wallabies coach Alan Jones blasted referee New Zealand Brendon Pickerill for disallowing an "up the jumper' try and sin-binning giant outside back Taqele Naiyarovoro and captain Quade Cooper in the last 10 minutes.
"I was really proud of my people," Jones said. "When they were given a chance to play, they played rugby but, if that is the way you grow the game, it's probably a good thing I'm not in it.
"I just found the whole thing astonishing. It's a Barbarians game and you are playing with 13 men and the bloke kept blowing the whistle. It was 16 penalties to four or something. We were four times more undisciplined than them?
"You can brand me as a whinger or whatever you like. I'm doing all this for nothing. I'm doing it because I believe in the game.
"You are telling me that's how you grow the game when people in the grandstand start booing. They are not stupid - they know. It is extraordinary.
"All I'm saying is rugby has a problem."
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