NSW Waratahs playmaker Kurtley Beale, who has been battling a quadriceps injury, has been left out of the side named to face the Highlanders in Saturday’sSuper Rugby semi-final in Sydney. Beale managed just a brief jog on Thursday at training and his place has been taken by Matt Carraro, a last-minute replacement for Beale in the final regular-season game of the year against Queensland.
The Waratahs released a statement a couple of hours after Thursday’s session to say Beale had not been able to complete the tasks set for him at training. It’s believed Beale was initially expected to have a couple of fitness tests leading up to the match, but this latest setback looks to have ruled him out of the clash with the Otago-based Highlanders.
“He had a little runaround today and it might be a precautionary thing he held off that last bit,” said Waratahs lock Will Skelton. But in some good news for the defending Super Rugby champions, Rob Horne looks to have overcome a calf injury, with the speedster training strongly and has been named on the wing.
Waratahs halfback Nick Phipps is tipping an expansive game against arguably the most-exciting team in Super Rugby. “They are a bit like us, they like to throw the ball around and have a crack and it should be entertaining for the crowd to come and watch,” he said.
Unheralded provincial flanker James Lentjes has been called back into the Highlanders team, replacing the injured Dan Pryor (dislocated elbow) in the only change to the starting team who beat the Chiefs 24-14 in last week’s qualifying final.
The 24-year-old made his Super Rugby debut midway through the season when promoted from outside the squad to play four games following injuries to a swag of loose forwards.
Coach Jamie Joseph resisted the urge to hand a first game of the campaign to fellow openside flanker Shane Christie. The more experienced Christie has been sidelined all year with hamstring problems but has just returned to fitness. Joseph had also considered switching Elliot Dixon to wear No7 opposite Waratahs dynamo Michael Hooper but instead decided to keep him on the blindside flank.
There are two changes on the reserves bench. Lock Joe Wheeler has recovered after two months sidelined by a knee injury and replaces Joe Latta. Five-eighth backup Marty Banks is ruled out with concussion and cedes his bench spot to Trent Renata.
NSW Waratahs: Israel Folau, Taqele Naiyaravoro, Adam Ashley-Cooper, Matt Carraro, Rob Horne, Bernard Foley, Nick Phipps, Wycliff Palu, Michael Hooper, Jacques Potgieter, David Dennis (capt), Will Skelton, Sekope Kepu, Tatafu Polota-Nau, Benn Robinson. Res: Jeremy Tilse, Paddy Ryan, Mitchell Chapman, Stephen Hoiles, Patrick McCutcheon, Brendan McKibbin, Jono Lance, Peter Betham.
Highlanders: Ben Smith (co-capt), Waisake Naholo, Malakai Fekitoa, Richard Buckman, Patrick Osborne, Lima Sopoaga, Aaron Smith, Nasi Manu (co-capt), James Lentjes, Elliot Dixon, Mark Reddish, Alex Ainley, Josh Hohneck, Liam Coltman, Brendon Edmonds. Reserves: Ash Dixon, Daniel Lienert-Brown, Ross Geldenhuys, Joe Wheeler, Gareth Evans, Fumiaki Tanaka, Trent Renata, Shaun Treeby.
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