Who is worst hit by critical injuries to key players this Autumn International Season

As the excitement of the Ai's arrive we are saddened by the loss of key men to our teams. Some massive figures have pulled out of their international call ups in the last few days since the weekend.

These teams are going to be without the following:

Australia
Genia
Cooper
Horwill
O'Conner

England
Hartley
Lawes
Corbisiero
Marler
Foden
Croft

Ireland
Brian O'Driscoll
Rory Best
Sean O'Brien
Rob Kearney
Luke Fitzgerald

New Zealand
No real concerns

Scotland
Morrison
Ansbro
Cussiter
Sean Lamont
Rory Lamont
Duncan Weir
Moray Low
Jon Welsh
Greg Laidlaw

SA
Bismarck du Plessis
Andries Bekker
Pierre Spies
Johan Goosen
Frans Steyn
Habana
Schalk Burger
Juan Smith
Heinrich Brüssow

Wales
Adam Jones
Dan Lydiate


I am sure there are more please add and I will include.

England - Croft, Joseph

Trev ill include croft... Joseph isnt a key england player hes a squad member at best.

South Africa and Australia have to be near top of the list.

But hey that's sport.

maestegmafia wrote:Trev ill include croft... Joseph isnt a key england player hes a squad member at best.

Well he started in the last test in SA with Manu T in the centre. I would have thought he would start again or bench at least.

Ah here. Leave it out

Sean O'Brien
Rob Kearney

And that's just the 2 previous European players of the year.

Sean Lamont, Rory Lamont, Duncan Weir, Moray Low, Jon Welsh, Greg Laidlaw (potentially for the 1st test), Pat McArthur... I might have missed a few more Scots...

UlstermaninGlasgow wrote:Sean Lamont, Rory Lamont, Duncan Weir, Moray Low, Jon Welsh, Greg Laidlaw (potentially for the 1st test), Pat McArthur... I might have missed a few more Scots...

Looking a bit shakey as far as props are concerned..

http://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby/top-rugby-stories/scotland-call-up-grant-shiells-as-front-row-troubles-worsen-ahead-of-autumn-test-with-new-zealand-1-2605635

Jenifer McLadyboy wrote:Ah here. Leave it out

Sean O'Brien
Rob Kearney

And that's just the 2 previous European players of the year.

And we have doubts over Ferris (Lions tourist and nominee for player of the year last year) and Earls (only other guy in our squad with time at fullback and Lions tourist)

Luke Fitzgerald is also injured.

Cian Healy also has a shoulder complaint and has been seen by a specialist and we (the public) don't know the outcome yet.

So potentially:

O'Driscoll (captain)
Best
O'Brien
Kearney
Ferris
Earls
Fitzgerald
Healy

Thanks for the helpfull suggestions.

McCaw and Carter are both touring

Though they'll both probably be rested for the Italy test.

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:McCaw and Carter are both touring

Though they'll both probably be rested for the Italy test.

Sorry...! My mistake, thought they were being rested.

Who are your key injuries mate?

Scotland are looking in a very unfortunate state going into this.

maestegmafia wrote:

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:McCaw and Carter are both touring

Though they'll both probably be rested for the Italy test.

Sorry...! My mistake, thought they were being rested.

Who are your key injuries mate?

No worries.

NZ are pretty much at full strength

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:McCaw and Carter are both touring

Though they'll both probably be rested for the Italy test.

Sorry...! My mistake, thought they were being rested.

Who are your key injuries mate?

No worries.

NZ are pretty much at full strength

Bugger

By the way, Mullan has been called up as injury cover for Marler, but (unlike the other injury worries) Lancaster hasn't released Marler back to his club for treatment. That suggests Mullan's call-up may be precautionary rather than a definite replacement.

I think it potentially makes a big difference to England's injury situation. If Marler is fit, the England front row looks a lot more solid than if he isn't, and the only player for whom they haven't got good cover is Hartley.

Poor old Scotland, on the other hand, look like they could be struggling to field a full XXIII by the end of the series...

maestegmafia wrote:

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:McCaw and Carter are both touring

Though they'll both probably be rested for the Italy test.

Sorry...! My mistake, thought they were being rested.

Who are your key injuries mate?

No worries.

NZ are pretty much at full strength

Bugger

Anyone know any good 'recipes' we can prepare for the All Blacks, you know make them feel 'welcome'....

UlstermaninGlasgow wrote:Sean Lamont, Rory Lamont, Duncan Weir, Moray Low, Jon Welsh, Greg Laidlaw (potentially for the 1st test), Pat McArthur... I might have missed a few more Scots...

There's a few more carrying slight knocks and missed their most recent club games, we're just hoping they'll be fit in time. Jacobsen, Cross, Grant, Gray, Hamilton, Jackson, Kellock, Rennie and De Luca have all been doing "limited" training. Although the fact no replacements have been called up except Shiells, would suggest they will mostly make it.

There's also the fact we have less strength in depth than other nations, which means these injuries will hit us hard.

Or maybe we're just getting our excuses in early!

Wales have Gatland missing - that's a crucial one

Effervescing Elephant wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:McCaw and Carter are both touring

Though they'll both probably be rested for the Italy test.

Sorry...! My mistake, thought they were being rested.

Who are your key injuries mate?

No worries.

NZ are pretty much at full strength

Bugger

Anyone know any good 'recipes' we can prepare for the All Blacks, you know make them feel 'welcome'....

Phone Suzie.

I have some Suzies hot sauce from Antigua. That is probably the Suzies you mean.

Strong enough to put anyone off their game...!


On a topical note though.

It is good to consider who's missing and what will make the biggest difference to the teams performance by their absence.

Quantity is not necessarily as detrimental as Quality

Looking at the squad and the injuries, I ask myself how far Heyneke Meyer’s likely matchday 22 is from the best possible team.

1. Beast Mtwarira
2. Adriaan Strauss
3. jannie du Plessis
4. Eben Etzebeth
5. Juandre Kruger
6. Marcell Coetzee
7. Willem Alberts
8. duane Vermeulen

Looking at the forward pack and impact subs. No Coenie Oosthuizen, no Andries Bekker, no Bismarck du Plessis, Schalk Burger, Possibly no Francois Louw (he got injured on the weekend).

That means as far as our Forward pack goes it is far from being the best.

9. Ruan Pienaar
10. Morne Steyn
11. Francois Hougaard
12. Jean de Villiers
13. jaco Taute
14. JP Pietersen
15. Zane Kirchner

Our problem is we have a shortage of experienced half backs, Morne Steyn is likely to be called into the 10 jumper, and I am so over him it isn’t funny, Jean de Villiers is past his sell by date and there will be no Frans Steyn, no Habana and likely Lambie who has been the form ten this past month will get little game time.

Sure this backline might be good enough (possibly) but no fire works.

Obviously injuries have hurt us and it prevented us from putting out our best team the whole year, but some of the players that will undoubtedly make a difference is not being selected

Bil your under 20s team was impressive at the JWC may well see something come from them in the near future.

Has to be Scotland surely!

With the limited resources that they have I think what Robo does is nothing short of a miracle.

Could be adding Ashton for England by this evening and Ryan Jones for Wales

maestegmafia wrote:
New Zealand
No real concerns

Says it all really - implies a certain Strength in Depth

offload wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:
New Zealand
No real concerns

Says it all really - implies a certain Strength in Depth

And no injuries.

Got to be SA or AUS considering that they are at the end of long seasons so fatigue is a factor and they are also playing away travelling between venues.

Home games during mid season cover up alot of the impact caused by issing players

Biltong wrote:

offload wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:
New Zealand
No real concerns

Says it all really - implies a certain Strength in Depth

And no injuries.

And the ABs are centrally contracted and AB games have priority over club games.

Probably why they have no real injury concerns. Plus Richie is targeted with off the ball stuff so has better match conditioning.

Braggert.

MMaaxx wrote:Got to be SA or AUS considering that they are at the end of long seasons so fatigue is a factor and they are also playing away travelling between venues.

Home games during mid season cover up alot of the impact caused by issing players

A lot of Aussies players are coming back to form, they did well against the kiwis last game. SA are missing many of their best players. As are the scots.

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:McCaw and Carter are both touring

Though they'll both probably be rested for the Italy test.

Sorry...! My mistake, thought they were being rested.

Who are your key injuries mate?

No worries.

NZ are pretty much at full strength

Good news, so when we beat them, there can be no excuses

(puts down bottle of whisky and tries to come back the the real world)

kiakahaaotearoa wrote:

Biltong wrote:

offload wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:
New Zealand
No real concerns

Says it all really - implies a certain Strength in Depth

And no injuries.

And the ABs are centrally contracted and AB games have priority over club games.

Probably why they have no real injury concerns. Plus Richie is targeted with off the ball stuff so has better match conditioning.

Only cos he is closest to the opposition (on their side of the ruck )

Contrary to most fetchers, he's a giver not a taker Risky. He's merely pointing out, look guys there's the ball. You take it, it's where my hands are.

I've said it before (from the safety of my keyboard) the Saffas are just too soft for rugby that's why they keep getting injured

nganboy wrote:I've said it before (from the safety of my keyboard) the Saffas are just too soft for rugby that's why they keep getting injured

True.

Scotland racing ahead in this pole, Aussies just behind them which surprises me because of their injury/absentee list only Genia is irreplaceable.

Compare that say to Ireland missing BOD and Best, England losing 2/3rds a front row and now Ashton, or SA missing a tonne of experience and skill in lads like Steyn, Habbana, Broussow etc etc etc...!

Kind of a surprise to see Oz ranked so disabled

Well Maes, I think one needs to look at matchday 22 players that are virtually first choice.

For SA first choice players missing:

Bismarck du Plessis - starting XV
Andries Bekker - Starting XV
Schalk Burger - Starting XV
Johan Goosen - Starting XV
Frans Steyn - Starting XV
Bryan Habana - Starting XV
Coenie Oosthuizen - Bench

These seven players is virtually guaranteed selections when not injured.

Ireland missing:

O'Driscoll
Best
Kearney
O'Brien
Fitzgerald

Additional Injury/Fitness concerns

Ferris
ROG
O'Connell

What's up with POC?

Old and slow!

What's up Poc!

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:McCaw and Carter are both touring

Though they'll both probably be rested for the Italy test.

Sorry...! My mistake, thought they were being rested.

Who are your key injuries mate?

No worries.

NZ are pretty much at full strength

Oops, I forgot about Richard Kahui being injured
We're missing our 1st-choice bench outside back.
(actually, with SBW in Japan and injured, and Isaia Toeva in Japan we are looking a little light in the centres, after Nonu and Smith)

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:McCaw and Carter are both touring

Though they'll both probably be rested for the Italy test.

Sorry...! My mistake, thought they were being rested.

Who are your key injuries mate?

No worries.

NZ are pretty much at full strength

Oops, I forgot about Richard Kahui being injured
We're missing our 1st-choice bench outside back.
(actually, with SBW in Japan and injured, and Isaia Toeva in Japan we are looking a little light in the centres, after Nonu and Smith)

Kiwi - I think a may be speaking for all when I say - xxxxxx Oh to have that amount of injuries

Also worth considering the potential of the replacements?