Hodge and Cottrell ruled out with injury
Melbourne Rebels pair Reece Hodge and Angus Cottrell have been ruled out of the third Bledisloe Cup Test in Japan after both suffered injuries at training.
Hodge injured his ankle in the team’s final training session on home soil on Friday and will sit out the clash against New Zealand as well as the upcoming Spring Tour.
Cottrell suffered a knee injury on Thursday and while it’s not considered serious, the backrower will be racing the clock to be fit in time for the final three Tests of the year against Wales, Italy and England.
It’s a cruel blow for the 28-year old who was on the cusp of a Test debut following a stellar Vodafone Super Rugby season for the Melbourne Rebels, before leading the Melbourne Rising in the National Rugby Championship (NRC).
Brumbies backrower Pete Samu will now join the Wallabies squad in Japan after the Canberra Viking’s NRC campaign came to a close yesterday, following their defeat to the Fijian Drua.
Samu managed 20 minutes for the Vikings in what was his first game back since injuring his knee last month against Argentina on the Gold Coast.
The squad for the Spring Tour of Wales, Italy and England will be named following the final Bledisloe Cup clash of 2018.
FOX SPORTS LIVE and ad-break free coverage of the Test will kick off at 5pm AEDT, immediately following LIVE coverage of the 2018 NRC Grand Final (coverage from 230pm AEDT) on Saturday 27 October.
The third and final Bledisloe Cup clash of 2018 will also be screened LIVE and free in HD on TEN and WIN Network and streaming on tenplay.com.au
Mitsubishi Estate Bledisloe Cup
Qantas Wallabies 13 v New Zealand 38 at ANZ Stadium, Sydney, Saturday 18 August
New Zealand 40 v Qantas Wallabies 12 at Eden Park, Auckland, Saturday 25 August 5.35pm AEST
New Zealand v Qantas Wallabies at Nissan Stadium, Yokohama, Saturday 27 October 5pm AEDT
Updated Qantas Wallabies squad for third Bledisloe Cup clash against New Zealand in Japan (Test caps, Vodafone Super Rugby side and age)
Forwards
Jermaine Ainsley (1 Test, Melbourne Rebels, 23)
Allan Alaalatoa (29 Tests, Brumbies, 24)
Rory Arnold (18 Tests , Brumbies, 28)
Adam Coleman (28 Tests, Melbourne Rebels, 26)
Jack Dempsey (6 Tests, NSW Waratahs, 24)
Folau Fainga’a (5 Tests, Brumbies, 23)
Ned Hanigan (17 Tests, NSW Waratahs, 23)
Jed Holloway* (uncapped, NSW Waratahs, 25)
Michael Hooper (c) (87 Tests, NSW Waratahs, 26)
Sekope Kepu (99 Tests, NSW Waratahs, 32)
Tolu Latu (9 Tests, NSW Waratahs, 25)
Brandon Paenga-Amosa (4 Tests, Queensland Reds, 22)
David Pocock (74 Tests, Brumbies, 30)
Izack Rodda (13 Tests, Queensland Reds, 22)
Pete Samu (7 Tests, Brumbies, 26)
Rob Simmons (90 Tests, NSW Waratahs, 29)
Scott Sio (51 Tests, Brumbies, 27)
Taniela Tupou (8 Tests, Queensland Reds, 22)
Backs
Tom Banks (2 Tests, Brumbies, 24)
Kurtley Beale (80 Tests, NSW Waratahs, 29)
Israel Folau (69 Tests, NSW Waratahs, 29)
Bernard Foley (64 Tests, NSW Waratahs, 29)
Will Genia (96 Tests, Melbourne Rebels, 30)
Jake Gordon* (uncapped, NSW Waratahs, 25)
Dane Haylett-Petty (27 Tests, Melbourne Rebels, 29)
Samu Kerevi (21 Tests, Queensland Reds, 25)
Marika Koroibete (17 Tests, Melbourne Rebels, 26)
Jack Maddocks (5 Tests, Melbourne Rebels, 21)
Sefa Naivalu (7 Tests, Melbourne Rebels, 26)
Nick Phipps (69 Tests, NSW Waratahs, 29)
*denotes uncapped
For the Mitsubishi Estate Bledisloe Cup Media Guide, please click here
