Rugby: Eales injury huge blow to Wallabies' Cup chances

By Wynne Gray

Champion lock, expert goalkicker and respected captain - there is not much the inspirational John Eales does not do for the Wallabies.

But all that looks as if all it will be past tense for the Wallabies this season with Eales having surgery tomorrow to repair serious damage he did to his left shoulder during weight-training this week.

The 28-year-old will miss the entire Super 12 series and privately team officials are preparing themselves for a World Cup campaign without him. Eales' injury is to the same shoulder he damaged in 1992, a problem which kept him out of the game for 15 months.

It is a savage blow, reflected in the bookmakers' odds in Australia which lengthened Queensland's odds of winning the Super 12 from 10-1 to 15-1 and the Wallabies' World Cup odds from 9-4 to 11-4.

Eales has been an extraordinary athlete for the Wallabies in more than 60 tests.

He made his test debut in 1991 and later that year was a vital part of the Wallabies' World Cup triumph.

It is easy to recall his many marvellous deeds, like his play in that 1991 final when Eales somehow managed to get back in cover and scythe down an England attacker with a try-saving and match-winning tackle.

His lineout leaping has always been a massive obstacle for the All Blacks, his leadership has welded together what at times seemed a ragged Wallaby unit and on top of all that, Eales is a genuine Mr Nice Guy. His skills demand admiration.

His absence requires three solutions: who will jump in the middle of the Wallaby lineout, who will kick for goal and is there a suitable replacement leader?

While Tom Bowman has been a great locking find he is much better suited to jumping at the front of the lineout. Middle-of-the-line options could be David Giffen or Nathan Sharpe, who may also have to do the job for Queensland.

Usually Matt Burke would be the goalkicker, though he is not expected back from his shoulder surgery until midway through the Super 12, while Joe Roff could be another option.

The captaincy may go to feisty halfback George Gregan, a player Wallaby coach Rod Macqueen admires greatly but who does not have a mortgage on his position.

Other candidates would be David Wilson or Tim Horan, though Macqueen has been reluctant to promote them as leader in the past.

It is not often you feel great compassion for Australians, but I think most rugby followers would wish Eales a successful and quicker recovery than forecast.