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'Copped a lot of online abuse': Joe Schmidt on the absence of Carlo Tizzano and Rob Valetini
By Ben Smith
The Wallabies will be without two of their loose forwards with star blindside flanker Rob Valetini and reserve openside Carlo Tizzano not named to play in Sydney.
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Valetini was one of the Wallabies’ best in his 40 minute stint at the MCG, battering the Lions defence with the type of carries that has seen him win two John Eales Medals as Australia’s best player.
Tizzano was included on a 6-2 bench as an extra loose forward option alongside Langi Gleeson, but has missed out as the Wallabies return to a 5-3 split.
On how long Valetini would be sidelined, Schmidt had no definite timeline for his return adding that his non-selection this week is ‘precautionary’ in nature.
“It is a good question because I’m not sure of the answer, other than to say he’s not quite right this week,” Schmidt said of Valetini.
“It is the same injury, it just tightened up. It was precautionary bringing him off. And it is precautionary not playing him this week.
“Just because we don’t want to cause more damage when we have a big Test schedule coming up.”
On the absence of Tizzano, Schmidt said that the flanker has had a “tough week” after his character was called into question after the final play of the second Test.
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With the spotlight on a cleanout by Jac Morgan on Tizzano the talking point of the thrilling 29-26 win by the Lions, Schmidt went in to defend his flanker.
“He’s had a really tough week Carlo,” Schmidt said.
“He’s copped a lot of online abuse. The only thing I’d say in defence of Carlo, there was just over 54 G’s of force, direct force, that went through the neck, along with 220 RADs of rotational force, which is enough to cause serious injury.
“Not to a rugby player as well conditioned as Carlo, but he’s best left to take a deep breath. We are all aware of Newton’s third law that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.
“When that force hits him and the speed of his head collapsing down, he recoiled out the back of the ruck. I don’t think he wanted to recoil out like that, that’s the nature of force.
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“I think for Carlo it’s better that he sits this one out. We weren’t sure about him on Tuesday, he was still pretty sore, but he was great today. He was right back to the irrepressible character that he is.”
