Carter Gordon to miss three Australia matches due to leg fracture
In Argentina, Australia rugby union fly-half Carter Gordon will miss the match against South Africa and two Tests against New Zealand due to a leg fracture. The 25-year-old player suffered the injury late in the match against Argentina in Mendoza, which ended in a 28-28 draw, Channel NewsAsia reports.
Problem at fly-half
Gordon was the first choice of Australia’s new head coach, Les Kiss, at fly-half. Kiss experimented with the lineup in his first four Tests in charge — against Japan and Argentina — and hoped to settle on playing combinations before more difficult matches.
Gordon’s injury has again exacerbated Australia’s personnel problem in the key position. Over the past ten seasons, 13 different rugby players have played at No. 10 for the national team. Before the match in Mendoza, Gordon was not named in the starting lineup because he suffered a deep facial cut in the game against Argentina a week earlier.
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Possible replacements
Ben Donaldson, who played in place of Gordon in the match against Argentina, is being named as the obvious candidate for the game against South Africa in Perth on September 27. For Donaldson, that match was only his sixth start at fly-half in 25 Tests for the national team.
Other options for the national team include James O’Connor, Tom Lynagh, Tane Edmed, Declan Meredith and Bernard Foley. The 36-year-old O’Connor recently joined Perth-based Western Force and remains a candidate for the match against South Africa. Lynagh has also had health problems and has played only 20 minutes in the current Super Rugby season. The 37-year-old Foley has returned to Australia.
