Wallabies selectors will be contemplating the value of Nathan Sharpe’s 104 Test caps ahead of this year’s Rugby Championship following news that skipper and fellow second-rower James Horwill is set to miss the rest of this season.
The ARU announced on Monday that Horwill has been booked in for an operation on his ruptured hamstring on Tuesday after suffering the injury in Super Rugby three weeks ago.
Horwill’s surgery is set to test the depth of Australia’s second-row stocks, with 34-year-old Sharpe previously announcing he would finish his 10-year international career with this weekend’s third Test against Wales in Sydney.
With Horwill and another vastly experienced second-rower – 63-times capped Dan Vickerman – both unavailable, the Wallabies will give serious thought to trying to postpone Sharpe’s international retirement.
There’s little Test match experience amongst the other second-rowers in the current Wallabies squad, with incumbent Rob Simmons (16 Tests) and Sitaleki Timani (one Test) sitting alongside uncapped trio Kane Douglas, Hugh Pyle and Cadeyrn Neville.
Pulling together a green combination from that group would be an intimidating prospect against the All Blacks, South Africa and Argentina in the inaugural Rugby Championship.
Sharpe has repeatedly said over recent weeks that he would never shut the door totally on continuing his international career, but had not spoken to Wallabies management about it.
Current Wallabies captain David Pocock says it’s up to Nathan Sharpe and the selectors to decide if the veteran should postpone his international rugby retirement.
Asked whether Horwill’s misfortune put extra emphasis on Sharpe continuing his Test career, Pocock said: “I’m not sure, that’s for Sharpie and the coaches to decide.
“Sharpie has got plans for after rugby, but who knows?”
“From a players’ point of view, he’s a guy that we love playing with.
“He offers the team a lot on and off the field, so it’s more up to him and the coaches whether they can come to some sort of agreement.”
Meanwhile, Pocock was looking for Australia to improve their combinations and get more flow to their game for Saturday’s third Test against Wales.
“It’s great to have taken the series out now with two wins, but it’s a good opportunity to play some better rugby here in Sydney,” Pocock said.
“We haven’t played the best in the last two games and we know that.
“We were pretty lucky to come away with the (second Test) win after coughing up so much ball and giving them that one pretty easy try.
“Their defence was hugely improved and they clearly had tactics to slow us down, so that’s something we’ve got to work at.
“We’re very aware that as a group we’ve got a lot more improvement in us and come the Rugby Championship it’s going to be a step up again.”
Winger Cooper Vuna will be available for selection despite being found guilty of tackling Welsh fullback Leigh Halfpenny in the air during the second Test.
