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Future Wallaby star Petaia suffers Lisfranc injury, ending season

By Online Editors
Australian back Jordan Petaia

Queensland centre Jordan Petaia has had his World Cup dreams rocked by scans which have ruled him out of the remainder of the Super Rugby season.

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The 18-year-old will miss at least four months of rugby with a Lisfranc ligament tear in his left foot, suffered in the 15th minute of the Reds’ loss on Saturday to the Crusaders. His lower leg was crushed awkwardly on his first carry.

Petaia had breathed hope into the Reds’ season with a powerful performance a week earlier in Dunedin.

But the rebuilding club, sitting at 0-2 for the season, heard the news late on Sunday night of the worst-case scenario.

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With a last-minute injury dashing his Wallabies debut last year, Petaia’s latest setback has him at long odds to feature in Michael Cheika’s squad in September in Japan.

The same innocuous injury resulted lengthy sideline stints for former Reds, James Horwill, Sam Cordingley and Jake Schatz, while Brisbane AFL player Charlie Cameron also had his 20 18 season ended in the same manner.

“He looked a bit ginger … it wasn’t great losing him early,” coach Brad Thorn said after the game, before hearing the scan results.

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“He’s a great young talent, a disappointing night for him.”

The Reds battled on without their young livewire, pushing the Crusaders in a 22-12 defeat – a record-extending 18th-consecutive Super Rugby victory.

Fullback Bryce Hegarty, who played on despite popping a rib, was used often as first receiver to relieve the pressure on five-eighth Hamish Stewart.

Too often they gifted the Crusaders pressure-free possession though, Thorn admitting their kicking game remained a work in progress.

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Crusaders coach Scott Robertson praised the Reds’ toughness, saying there was a “new feel” about them.

“We’ll all probably answer that question better (how much have they improved) in about six weeks, once they’ve got a few more games under their belts,” he said.

“They’ve got a toug h start, got quite a tough draw.

“But some good signs, good energy and they worked hard.”

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Bull Shark 3 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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