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BRISBANE - Australian rugby coach John Connolly is demanding answers from predecessor Eddie Jones after fullback Chris Latham suffered a potentially season-ending knee injury.
Preliminary scans found Latham tore his anterior cruciate and medial ligaments at Queensland Reds training last Saturday. He was apparently hurt after scoring a try in a game at training.
The Reds said yesterday early reports indicated Latham, 31, would require a knee reconstruction and be out for the entire Super 14 season.
Reds head coach and former Wallabies mentor Jones said Latham was the victim of a freak accident.
Connolly said Latham had only just finished with a Wallabies' three-day training camp in Canberra.
"We're going to ask for a report out of Queensland about how it happened because he was in the 22 RPA group supposedly staying out of all contact," he said on ABC Radio.
"It happened on Saturday, the day after he'd had a three-day camp at the AIS with us. We've got to get a full report out of it to understand exactly what happened."
Connolly said although Latham faced a lengthy rehabilitation, he hoped he would be available for the World Cup, which starts in France in September.
"We haven't got the full picture yet. We have got six months, so we have to make sure we find the best rehab for him and get him back on deck but these things do take time."
A veteran of 72 tests, Latham has become a mainstay of the Australian backline and a key figure in their World Cup hopes.
The Super 14 season starts next month and ends in May.
Australia play tests in June against Wales and Fiji before the Tri-Nations series against New Zealand and South Africa.
Australia's backline depth has already been weakened following the decision to allow Mat Rogers to return to league.
The Wallabies' opening World Cup game is against Japan in Lyon on September 10.
Australia's World Cup campaign had already started off on the wrong foot with Lote Tuqiri among four players sent home from the training camp in Canberra after failing fitness tests.
Wingers Tuqiri and Mark Gerrard, hooker Tatafu Polota-Nau and centre Morgan Turinui returned home early to undertake fitness programmes after failing to meet the required fitness levels.
- AAP
