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SYDNEY - The Wallabies are hopeful of avoiding an embarrassing U-turn and being able to field their strongest possible line-up for the Bledisloe Cup showdown with the All Blacks.
A groin injury to Adam Freier in Saturday night's 25-17 Tri-Nations defeat of South Africa in Sydney has left Australia precariously placed for hookers heading into their last test before the World Cup kicks off in France in September.
Coach John Connolly rates Freier only a 50-50 chance of tackling New Zealand in Auckland on July 21 in a match that is likely to double as both the Bledisloe Cup and Tri-Nations decider.
With apparent first-choice hooker Stephen Moore missing the victory over the Springboks with a sternum injury and regular squad member Tatafu Polota-Nau not due back from a knee injury for six more weeks, there were fears the Wallabies may have to recall either Jeremy Paul or Tai McIsaac to sit on the bench at Eden Park.
Queensland's Sean Hardman came from the clouds to win a bench spot on Saturday night and will start if Moore and Freier don't recover in time -- but Connolly will be desperate such a scenario won't eventuate.
Because it would mean either calling on McIsaac, who selectors lost faith in on last year's spring tour of Europe, or Paul, the 72-test veteran who Connolly publicly declared just last week was no hope of making the 30-man World Cup squad.
"But there's some good news on Stephen. He should be right for New Zealand and the groin on Adam hopefully isn't going to be too serious either," Wallabies forwards coach Michael Foley said today.
"I thought Sean Hardman did well when he came on last night, which was fantastic for him.
"He was in camp just for the week and he worked very hard on knowing what we were doing and I thought he made a good contribution."
The only other injury concern to emerge from Australia's bruising win over South Africa was a jarred knee for first five-eighth Stephen Larkham.
"It's just from kicking, but hopefully with a couple of days off it should be fine," Larkham said.
In a major plus for the Wallabies, gamebreaking fullback Chris Latham made a successful comeback from reconstructive knee surgery for the Gold Coast Breakers in Queensland Premier Rugby on Saturday.
Latham scored a try, set up another and looked dangerous throughout his 40-minute cameo and could be available for the Auckland test.
"It's really good news," Foley said.
"Having Chris Latham back to his best will be very exciting to the squad.
"We were sort of hopeful he would be back for the next test. Whether he makes it for that or not -- whether it's a little bit more progressive, I'm not sure.
"But the good news was he got through yesterday and apparently he played quite well so we'll have a look at that for sure."
- AAP
