Boost for Brumbies with star cleared of serious injury
Skipper Allan Alaalatoa has been cleared of serious injury in a major boost to the ladder-leading ACT Brumbies' Super Rugby Pacific title aspirations.
The news is also a relief to Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt, with the experienced tighthead prop a certainty to face the touring British and Irish Lions, with the first Test in July.
Alaalatoa was helped from the field soon after halftime in Canberra on Saturday night as the Brumbies trumped Queensland 24-14 to move to the top of the Super Rugby Pacific ladder.
Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham was uncertain of the lower-leg issue but was hopeful that Alaalatoa, who missed the 2023 Rugby World Cup after rupturing his achilles, would be available for the Super finals.
"He had a tight calf coming into halftime and it got a bit tighter when he was playing through that second-half," Larkham said post-match.
The coach will likely have his wish, with scans on Monday clearing 31-year-old Alaalatoa of serious damage.
"The Brumbies can confirm that captain Allan Alaalatoa underwent a scan on a lower leg injury after leaving the field during Saturday's fixture against the Reds at GIO Stadium," the Brumbies said in a statement."The results of the scan are favourable and show a low grade calf strain, which should have him return in the next couple of weeks."
The Brumbies have a bye next week, then finish their regular season against the Crusaders, who are two points behind and level with the Chiefs in second.
The Australian front-runners also have Wallabies playmaker Noah Lolesio sidelined after the five-eighth sustained a spinal injury earlier this month.
Lolesio was also cleared of serious injury but no timeline has been provided for his return to play.
Skipper Allan Alaalatoa has been cleared of serious injury in a major boost to the ladder-leading ACT Brumbies' Super Rugby Pacific title aspirations.
The news is also a relief to Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt, with the experienced tighthead prop a certainty to face the touring British and Irish Lions, with the first Test in July.
Alaalatoa was helped from the field soon after halftime in Canberra on Saturday night as the Brumbies trumped Queensland 24-14 to move to the top of the Super Rugby Pacific ladder.
Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham was uncertain of the lower-leg issue but was hopeful that Alaalatoa, who missed the 2023 Rugby World Cup after rupturing his achilles, would be available for the Super finals.
"He had a tight calf coming into halftime and it got a bit tighter when he was playing through that second-half," Larkham said post-match.
The coach will likely have his wish, with scans on Monday clearing 31-year-old Alaalatoa of serious damage.
"The Brumbies can confirm that captain Allan Alaalatoa underwent a scan on a lower leg injury after leaving the field during Saturday's fixture against the Reds at GIO Stadium," the Brumbies said in a statement."The results of the scan are favourable and show a low grade calf strain, which should have him return in the next couple of weeks."
The Brumbies have a bye next week, then finish their regular season against the Crusaders, who are two points behind and level with the Chiefs in second.
The Australian front-runners also have Wallabies playmaker Noah Lolesio sidelined after the five-eighth sustained a spinal injury earlier this month.
Lolesio was also cleared of serious injury but no timeline has been provided for his return to play.
Skipper Allan Alaalatoa has been cleared of serious injury in a major boost to the ladder-leading ACT Brumbies' Super Rugby Pacific title aspirations.
The news is also a relief to Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt, with the experienced tighthead prop a certainty to face the touring British and Irish Lions, with the first Test in July.
Alaalatoa was helped from the field soon after halftime in Canberra on Saturday night as the Brumbies trumped Queensland 24-14 to move to the top of the Super Rugby Pacific ladder.
Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham was uncertain of the lower-leg issue but was hopeful that Alaalatoa, who missed the 2023 Rugby World Cup after rupturing his achilles, would be available for the Super finals.
"He had a tight calf coming into halftime and it got a bit tighter when he was playing through that second-half," Larkham said post-match.
The coach will likely have his wish, with scans on Monday clearing 31-year-old Alaalatoa of serious damage.
"The Brumbies can confirm that captain Allan Alaalatoa underwent a scan on a lower leg injury after leaving the field during Saturday's fixture against the Reds at GIO Stadium," the Brumbies said in a statement."The results of the scan are favourable and show a low grade calf strain, which should have him return in the next couple of weeks."
The Brumbies have a bye next week, then finish their regular season against the Crusaders, who are two points behind and level with the Chiefs in second.
The Australian front-runners also have Wallabies playmaker Noah Lolesio sidelined after the five-eighth sustained a spinal injury earlier this month.
Lolesio was also cleared of serious injury but no timeline has been provided for his return to play.
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The Advertiser
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Sunday's victory also snapped a 19-month winless run, the longest drought of her decorated career, and secured Australian women's sport's highest earner another monster cheque of $US1.8 million ($A2.8 million). Perhaps most gratifying of all, the Perth prodigy also buried the demons from last year's spectacular final-round crash at the US Open. Lee opened up a three-stroke back-nine lead only to collapse down the stretch to finish tied for ninth at Lancaster Country Club. Cementing her greatness, Australian golf superstar Minjee Lee has claimed a historic third career major with a steely victory at the mega-money Women's PGA Championship in Texas. Lee had her four-shot overnight lead slashed in half early in the final round before hanging on, then surging gamely for a three-shot triumph in more extremely trying conditions at PGA Frisco's windswept Fields Ranch East course. The 29-year-old bogeyed three of the first six holes in an understandably anxious start before steadying to close with a sufficiently sound two-over-par 74 on championship Sunday (Monday AEST). Lee finished with a 72-hole four-under 284 total to deny fast-finishing American Auston Kim (68) and Thai Chanetee Wannasaen (68) improbable comeback victories at the third women's major of the year. In adding to her 2021 Evian Championship triumph and 2022 US Open success, Lee completed the third leg of women's golf's fabled grand slam to edge ever closer to a place in the sport's Hall of Fame. The British Open and Chevron Championship are the only two majors to elude Lee. Just as significantly, Lee joined legends - and fellow females - Karrie Webb and Jan Stephenson as only the third Australian golfer in history to win three different major championships. With three majors, Lee also surpassed the great Greg Norman and David Graham on Australia's all-time majors winning list. Lee now only trails seven-times major champion Webb and five-times British Open winner Thomson. Sunday's victory also snapped a 19-month winless run, the longest drought of her decorated career, and secured Australian women's sport's highest earner another monster cheque of $US1.8 million ($A2.8 million). Perhaps most gratifying of all, the Perth prodigy also buried the demons from last year's spectacular final-round crash at the US Open. Lee opened up a three-stroke back-nine lead only to collapse down the stretch to finish tied for ninth at Lancaster Country Club. Cementing her greatness, Australian golf superstar Minjee Lee has claimed a historic third career major with a steely victory at the mega-money Women's PGA Championship in Texas. Lee had her four-shot overnight lead slashed in half early in the final round before hanging on, then surging gamely for a three-shot triumph in more extremely trying conditions at PGA Frisco's windswept Fields Ranch East course. 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Lee now only trails seven-times major champion Webb and five-times British Open winner Thomson. Sunday's victory also snapped a 19-month winless run, the longest drought of her decorated career, and secured Australian women's sport's highest earner another monster cheque of $US1.8 million ($A2.8 million). Perhaps most gratifying of all, the Perth prodigy also buried the demons from last year's spectacular final-round crash at the US Open. Lee opened up a three-stroke back-nine lead only to collapse down the stretch to finish tied for ninth at Lancaster Country Club.
The Advertiser
an hour ago
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Kookaburra season in England has left one Aussie rapt
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He also struck later in the day, getting rid of half-centurion Luke Hollman and ended with figures of 6-87 off 19 probing overs, with the battling unbeaten century from wicketkeeper-batter Joe Cracknell providing the main rearguard action as Middlesex battled back to finish on 8-397. "I play a fair bit with the Kook back home in Australia. It is a different skill to the Dukes. Guys who play with the Dukes over here obviously have skills that are different to what Australian seamers would have when they come over," said West Australian Guthrie, who has a UK passport and isn't considered an overseas player. "It's just about being clear with your plans and sort of hitting the deck hard, not sort of floating it when the Kookaburra's a bit softer." One more wicket tomorrow and Guthrie will go past his career-best first-class figures of 6-60 for Queensland against Victoria a couple of years ago. Elsewhere in the resumed county championship program, a couple of Aussie batters also seemed perfectly at home with the introduction of the Kookaburra, which is part of the English game's continued bid to give home players wider international experience. There were half-centuries for Gloucestershire captain Cameron Bancroft, who top-scored with 58 off 127 balls as they were skittled for 187 by Derbyshire at Bristol, and Sussex's Tasmanian opener Daniel Hughes, who made 60 off 110 balls against Durham at Chester-le-Street in their 9-322. It was a big day for debutant Ashton Turner at Blackpool as he was handed his Lancashire cap by his Australian teammate Chris Green, who took a wicket (1-63) on a rain-interrupted day as Kent finished the opening day on 3-213. Lancashire's captain for the first time in a county match was 42-year-old James Anderson, who was also the subject of a special presentation of his own as he received a bottle of champagne to mark his 300th first-class match. Anderson, who couldn't mark the latest landmark with a wicket (0-36), stepped in as skipper because Lancashire's Australian skipper Marcus Harris, the top-scorer in the county championship this season (825 runs), had flown home to attend the birth of his second child. The Kookaburra cricket ball has been brought out to play in England's county cricket season - and one Australian quick bowler couldn't be happier. Liam Guthrie hadn't had the best of times with Northamptonshire so far this campaign, having not taken more than three wickets in any innings for Darren Lehmann's division two outfit all season. But that all changed at Northampton on Sunday when the Australian Kookaburra ball was introduced for the next few county games in place of the familiar English-produced Dukes ball - and Guthrie produced a six-wicket display against Middlesex, easily his best performance so far. Taking advantage of his expertise with the cherry he's more familiar with using, the 28-year-old ripped through the visitors' top-order taking three quick wickets to reduce Middlesex to 3-33. He also struck later in the day, getting rid of half-centurion Luke Hollman and ended with figures of 6-87 off 19 probing overs, with the battling unbeaten century from wicketkeeper-batter Joe Cracknell providing the main rearguard action as Middlesex battled back to finish on 8-397. "I play a fair bit with the Kook back home in Australia. It is a different skill to the Dukes. Guys who play with the Dukes over here obviously have skills that are different to what Australian seamers would have when they come over," said West Australian Guthrie, who has a UK passport and isn't considered an overseas player. "It's just about being clear with your plans and sort of hitting the deck hard, not sort of floating it when the Kookaburra's a bit softer." One more wicket tomorrow and Guthrie will go past his career-best first-class figures of 6-60 for Queensland against Victoria a couple of years ago. Elsewhere in the resumed county championship program, a couple of Aussie batters also seemed perfectly at home with the introduction of the Kookaburra, which is part of the English game's continued bid to give home players wider international experience. There were half-centuries for Gloucestershire captain Cameron Bancroft, who top-scored with 58 off 127 balls as they were skittled for 187 by Derbyshire at Bristol, and Sussex's Tasmanian opener Daniel Hughes, who made 60 off 110 balls against Durham at Chester-le-Street in their 9-322. It was a big day for debutant Ashton Turner at Blackpool as he was handed his Lancashire cap by his Australian teammate Chris Green, who took a wicket (1-63) on a rain-interrupted day as Kent finished the opening day on 3-213. Lancashire's captain for the first time in a county match was 42-year-old James Anderson, who was also the subject of a special presentation of his own as he received a bottle of champagne to mark his 300th first-class match. Anderson, who couldn't mark the latest landmark with a wicket (0-36), stepped in as skipper because Lancashire's Australian skipper Marcus Harris, the top-scorer in the county championship this season (825 runs), had flown home to attend the birth of his second child. The Kookaburra cricket ball has been brought out to play in England's county cricket season - and one Australian quick bowler couldn't be happier. Liam Guthrie hadn't had the best of times with Northamptonshire so far this campaign, having not taken more than three wickets in any innings for Darren Lehmann's division two outfit all season. But that all changed at Northampton on Sunday when the Australian Kookaburra ball was introduced for the next few county games in place of the familiar English-produced Dukes ball - and Guthrie produced a six-wicket display against Middlesex, easily his best performance so far. Taking advantage of his expertise with the cherry he's more familiar with using, the 28-year-old ripped through the visitors' top-order taking three quick wickets to reduce Middlesex to 3-33. He also struck later in the day, getting rid of half-centurion Luke Hollman and ended with figures of 6-87 off 19 probing overs, with the battling unbeaten century from wicketkeeper-batter Joe Cracknell providing the main rearguard action as Middlesex battled back to finish on 8-397. "I play a fair bit with the Kook back home in Australia. It is a different skill to the Dukes. Guys who play with the Dukes over here obviously have skills that are different to what Australian seamers would have when they come over," said West Australian Guthrie, who has a UK passport and isn't considered an overseas player. "It's just about being clear with your plans and sort of hitting the deck hard, not sort of floating it when the Kookaburra's a bit softer." One more wicket tomorrow and Guthrie will go past his career-best first-class figures of 6-60 for Queensland against Victoria a couple of years ago. Elsewhere in the resumed county championship program, a couple of Aussie batters also seemed perfectly at home with the introduction of the Kookaburra, which is part of the English game's continued bid to give home players wider international experience. There were half-centuries for Gloucestershire captain Cameron Bancroft, who top-scored with 58 off 127 balls as they were skittled for 187 by Derbyshire at Bristol, and Sussex's Tasmanian opener Daniel Hughes, who made 60 off 110 balls against Durham at Chester-le-Street in their 9-322. It was a big day for debutant Ashton Turner at Blackpool as he was handed his Lancashire cap by his Australian teammate Chris Green, who took a wicket (1-63) on a rain-interrupted day as Kent finished the opening day on 3-213. Lancashire's captain for the first time in a county match was 42-year-old James Anderson, who was also the subject of a special presentation of his own as he received a bottle of champagne to mark his 300th first-class match. Anderson, who couldn't mark the latest landmark with a wicket (0-36), stepped in as skipper because Lancashire's Australian skipper Marcus Harris, the top-scorer in the county championship this season (825 runs), had flown home to attend the birth of his second child.
