The Brumbies have received good news on the injuries to flanker George Smith and centre Pat McCabe as their injuries from last week’s Super Rugby match against the Waratahs are not as bad as first thought.
rugbyweek
George Smith’s chances of playing in an historic second series against the British and Irish Lions have improved fractionally when a scan showed a knee injury was not as serious as initially reported.
Smith, who hoped to return from international retirement and to add to his 110 tests for Australia, suffered a grade two medial ligament tear on his left knee while playing for the Brumbies in Saturday’s Super Rugby match.
At best, Smith will be out of action for six weeks and could therefore be fit to play the second of Australia’s three tests against the Lions at Melbourne on June 29.
However, it is still more likely he will miss the whole of the Lions’ series and return for the Brumbies’ match against the Force at Perth on July 13.
There was better news Tuesday for Smith’s Brumbies teammate, center Pat McCabe, who also injured his knee injury against the Waratahs.
Scans showed no serious damage to McCabe’s knee and he could return for the Brumbies’ match against the Hurricanes on May 31.
“It’s a bit hard to put a timeline at the moment,” McCabe said.
“It’s a matter of this swelling settling down and then I can start running and it won’t be much longer.”
McCabe has also announced that he has re-signed with the Brumbies and the Australian Rugby Union for a further two years.
“For me, it was about where I was going to learn the most and improve the most and with Stephen Larkham here (at the Brumbies) and the backs we’ve got here, this was the place for me,” he said.