Wallabies scrumhalf Will Genia has been ruled out of their third and final Test against Ireland after breaking his arm in Melbourne on Saturday.
Genia was replaced in the first half of the second Test ― which Ireland clung on to win 26-21 and level the three-Test series ― and will also miss the rest of the Super Rugby season after it was confirmed that he will be out for at least six weeks.
Waratahs scrumhalf Jake Gordon has been called up for the decisive Test, but it will likely be Nick Phipps who takes Genia’s place in the Wallabies’ starting XV with Joe Powell the other scrumhalf in the squad.
Waratahs attack coach Stephen Larkham said he was confident the other scrumhalves would be able to step up.
‘Genia’s an integral part of the team, there’s no doubt about that, he’s part of our strategy group and he’s had a very good combination there with the forward pack and the backline,’ Larkham said.
‘So he’s definitely a big loss but in saying that, we’ve got really good experience in Nick Phipps, while Joe Powell’s been around the team now for the past 12 months and we’ll have to bring someone else into the team now.’
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