Wallabies dealt double injury blow before facing France and Italy

The Wallabies have been dealt a double injury blow before facing Six Nations champions France in Brisbane, with Carter Gordon and Tom Hooper set to miss the next two Nations Championship Tests on home soil.

Coach Joe Schmidt revealed after the Wallabies’ heartbreaking 33-31 defeat to Ireland in Sydney that Gordon had been replaced due to cramp, although whether the fly-half would be fit to play France remained unclear.

But the Wallabies issued a squad update on Tuesday, revealing scans show that Gordon has suffered a calf strain. The 10-Test Wallaby has been ruled out of upcoming Tests against the French in Brisbane and Italy at Perth’s HBF Park.

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Hooper will not be available for those Nations Championship matches either, with the Exeter Chiefs backrower ruled out with a shoulder injury. The 25-year-old came on as a replacement with 12 minutes left in the clash with Ireland.

Western Force-bound playmaker Harry McLaughlin-Phillips has been brought into the national set-up in Brisbane, tasked with helping the team prepare for the match against the world’s fourth-ranked side on Saturday.

Ben Donaldson was provided fly-half cover off the bench against Ireland, injected into the contest with just over 20 minutes remaining. Another option is ACT Brumbies fly-half Declan Meredith, who is uncapped at international level.

The Wallabies are looking to bounce back from the two-point loss to Ireland, who have now won their last six against the Aussies. Sam Prendergast kicked the go-ahead points with less than three minutes left at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium.

This match, which was played in front of a record crowd at the Sydney venue, had seven lead changes and came down to the final play of the match. Donaldson stepped up for a difficult penalty attempt but the shot sailed wide of the sticks.

The Wallabies have another five matches on home soil this season, including Saturday’s fixture against Les Bleus, It’s all part of the journey to Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027, which gets underway in about 15 months’ time.

“When the World Cup rolls around next year, it’s going to be an exciting time for the country, exciting time for us,” Wallabies assistant coach Tom Donnelly said.

“We saw on the weekend that in periods of the game we can certainly match it with the world’s best but to beat those world’s best teams, just to be more accurate.

“Missed a few opportunities, probably a bit of ill-discipline in the second half and that’s what you can’t be if you want to beat the world’s best.”