Major blow to Australia's main World Cup rival

1 year ago 110

Australia's main Rugby World Cup excavation rival, Wales, has suffered a large stroke with quality that skipper Ken Owens has been ruled retired of the tourney with a backmost injury.

The 36-year-old hooker captained Wales successful the Six Nations and was hoping to play successful his 4th World Cup successful France successful September-October.

"He's gutted but he's an incredibly affirmative person," Wales manager Warren Gatland said.

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Samu Kerevi of Australia speaks with Ken Owens of Wales astatine the 2019 Rugby World Cup. (Getty)

"He wanted to reiterate helium has not retired from rugby and helium is hoping perchance helium could beryllium disposable possibly aboriginal if we prime up injuries successful the tournament.

"It is the aforesaid wounded (as successful 2021) but not arsenic terrible arsenic earlier truthful helium whitethorn request an cognition connected that. He is conscionable getting symptom successful his calf and can't tally fully. He was trying to bash a spot of enactment truthful we gave him arsenic overmuch clip arsenic possible."

Gatland hinted helium whitethorn follow Wallabies manager Eddie Jones' pb and sanction co-captains to regenerate Owens, who has played 96 Tests.

Samu Kerevi of Australia tackles Ken Owens arsenic Josh Navidi looks on. (Getty)

The manager utilized that attack successful 2018 erstwhile forwards Ellis Jenkins and Cory Hill shared the responsibility.

"You look astatine the squad and I don't deliberation determination are immoderate guaranteed starting positions," Gatland said.

"Players volition get opportunities. Picking the close idiosyncratic arsenic captain, it is the enactment they are going to get, oregon is it perchance co-captains that tin stock that relation and responsibility. We volition enactment a enactment radical together."

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Wales person slipped to ninth successful the satellite rankings and are successful a authorities of turmoil with governmental in-fighting and a spate of retirements.

Legendary fastener Alun Wyn Jones and prima flanker Justin Tipuric amazingly retired from Test rugby past period portion Hill has made himself unavailable for the World Cup.

Ospreys hooker Sam Parry replaced Owens successful the squad, portion Scarlets backrower Josh Macleod and Cardiff prop Will Davies-King besides withdrew with injury.

Wales volition play Australia successful a important Pool C clash successful Lyon connected September 25 (AEST).

Fiji, besides successful Pool C, volition be eyeing an accidental to upset a weakened Wales and perchance advancement to the quarter-finals on with the Wallabies.

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