Wright ACL adds to Wallabies' injury woes
INJURY UPDATE:The Wallabies’ resurgence has copped a hammer blow with confirmation of a likely long-term knee injury for in-form fullback Tom Wright.
The No.15 will return home and consult specialists after scans confirmed an anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered early in Saturday’s 30-22 loss to South Africa in Cape Town.
Wright, a star of last week’s triumph in Johannesburg, has emerged as one of the world’s premier fullbacks to power Joe Schmidt’s improved Wallabies.
He’ll now join a crowded injury list ahead of a crunch double against Argentina in Townsville and Sydney, before the Bledisloe Cup.
Assuming Wright requires surgery, he’ll miss the five-game tour of Japan and Europe later this year and, ahead of the 2027 home World Cup, the next Super Rugby Pacific season with the ACT Brumbies.
The Wallabies were brave in their 22-30 defeat to South Africa on Saturday night, the stunning debut of sizzling-fast winger Corey Toole the biggest highlight.
But Australia was left counting the cost on the injury front for the second straight week.
Scrumhalf Nic White and centre Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii were both concussed in the first half, and prop Taniela Tupou dislocated the pinky finger on his left hand shortly before the break.
Wright’s left knee seemed to buckle as he went to change direction to pick up a loose ball.
The 28-year-old limped to the bench and cut a devastated figure as he slumped to the turf and put his head in his hands to contemplate his misfortune.
Wright starred in the Wallabies’ 38-22 triumph over South Africa in Johannesburg last weekend, and scans will determine the extent of his knee injury.
Skipper Harry Wilson (knee), James Slipper (concussion) and Dylan Pietsch (broken jaw) were all injured in the Rugby Championship opener in Johannesburg, and more injury carnage in Cape Town was the last thing the Wallabies needed.
But the dazzling debut of former Rugby Sevens star Toole was a huge positive, the 25-year-old scoring an early try and producing a series of sizzling runs.
The Wallabies’ campaign continues against Argentina in Townsville on September 6.
Australia will face Argentina again in Sydney a week later, before taking on archrivals New Zealand in Auckland on September 27, then in Perth on October 4.
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