Injuries hobble Australia
Posted: Monday September 28, 1998 11:08 AM
SYDNEY, Australia (Reuters) -- Injuries could force up to four players to miss Australia's end-of-year rugby union tour of England and France after the Wallabies' win over Western Samoa on Saturday.
Australia beat Samoa 25-13 in Brisbane to qualify for next year's World Cup in Wales after the completion of the South Pacific qualifying tournament.
But the win came at a cost, with injury concerns over center Tim Horan, flanker Matthew Cockbain, prop Glenn Panoho and winger Damian Smith for the forthcoming tour to England and France.
Horan is scheduled to undergo minor knee surgery this week, Cockbain has a groin injury and Panoho damaged elbow ligaments in a tackle in the closing stages of Saturday's bruising win by the Wallabies.
Smith, who did not play against Samoa, may be sidelined for several months after tearing ligaments in his hand two days before the match.
Several other Wallaby players are also carrying injuries.
National coach Rod Macqueen said he expected to know the seriousness of the injuries in several days but added Horan, Panoho, Cockbain and Smith were in doubt for the tour.
The 26-man Wallaby squad will be named in mid-October.
Australia plays France in Paris on November 21 and England in London a week later.
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