Rogers ruled out of South Africa Tour

Australian Wallabies back Mat Rogers has been ruled out of this week’s Tri-Nations Tour to South Africa with a knee injury.

Rogers, who carried the injury through the Wallabies’ seven-point loss to the All Blacks in Auckland earlier this month, will undergo surgery on his left knee on Thursday.

“Mat will have an arthroscopy on his knee this Thursday and will be required to rest for up to two weeks following surgery,” said Wallabies Team Doctor Martin Raftery.

Raftery added that Rogers could return to full training within five weeks of surgery.

“He should be able to resume full training sometime between four and five weeks after the arthroscopy, which will give him the chance to prepare for the Spring Tour” said Raftery.

Western Force back Scott Staniforth will be Rogers’ replacement in the 25-man Wallabies squad, which departs for Johannesburg on Friday following a three-day training camp in Sydney.

Rogers said that he was disappointed to miss out on the trip to South Africa, where the Wallabies’ have not won a Test since 2000.

“I’ve had (the injury) for a couple of weeks now and I was hoping it would have pulled up a bit better than it has (after the New Zealand Test),” said Rogers.

“I’m disappointed to miss out on the Springboks match because I feel that we’ve got a great chance of winning a Test on their soil, which hasn’t been done for a long time,” he said.

“Although by having the surgery now I’ll have time to get a good preparation for the Spring Tour.”

Related Article:

Wallabies name 25-man squad for South Africa Tour (Thurs Aug 24)