The Wallabies' fly-half headache is back. Carter Gordon has been ruled out of the remainder of the Nations Championship with a calf strain, reopening a No.10 vacancy that has dogged Australian rugby for the better part of a year.
Gordon limped off after 57 minutes of the 33-31 loss to Ireland in Sydney, an issue first thought to be cramp. Scans told a worse story. "After cramping during the Test against Ireland, scans have revealed Carter Gordon has suffered a calf strain and won't be available for the next two Tests of the Nations Championship," the Wallabies camp confirmed. "Tom Hooper has also been ruled out with a shoulder injury."
That rules Gordon out of Saturday's clash with France in Brisbane and the following week's Test against Italy. He was unable to take the field at training at Ballymore on Tuesday.
The injury clears a path for uncapped Brumbies playmaker Declan Meredith, who is poised for a debut in Brisbane and already has a working relationship with halfback Ryan Lonergan. Western Force's Ben Donaldson, who steered the side through the final quarter against Ireland and brings 20 Tests of experience, is the other option. Harry McLaughlin-Phillips has been added to the squad as cover.
Flanker Fraser McReight, who packed down alongside the departing Gordon on Sunday, summed up the mood. "He played really well. Devastated for him, but I guess injuries are a part of rugby and we've always said, 'next man up'," McReight said. On the replacements, he was upbeat: "We've got Donno and Dec, both had great seasons pushing their case."
For Gordon, it is another setback in a star-crossed run. He walked away from an NRL deal with the Gold Coast Titans to return to rugby, having earlier been hospitalised with a spinal fluid leak in league and then battled leg problems through the Super Rugby Pacific season.
McReight was blunt about where the Ireland Test slipped away. "When we had them by the throat we didn't go for the kill in the last five, 10 minutes of the first half," he said. "When we've got them, keep them down. Be cool, calm ... Joe (Schmidt) talks about being blue-headed, not red-headed."
The flanker acknowledged the group is also bracing for change off the field, with a coaching handover on the horizon. "It's a different feeling around the group, but that (handover's) in four weeks' time and we've got a job to do this weekend and next," McReight said.
The immediate job is France in Brisbane, and the Wallabies will tackle it with yet another new face wearing the No.10. It is a jersey that has passed through a long line of owners over the past 12 months, and injury has forced Australia's hand once more.
