Danny
02-08-2005, 07:01 AM
Tri-Nations over for Sailor
By Jon Geddes
August 2, 2005
AUSTRALIA'S tour of South Africa has turned into the trip from hell for Wendell Sailor with the news he will miss the rest of the Tri Nations because of a knee injury.
That shattering diagnosis follows Sailor being disciplined for being one of the players at a Cape Town nightclub prior to the Test match in Johannesburg.
It also comes at time when the big winger was arguably in his best form since switching codes and was one of the Wallabies better players in last Saturday's Test loss to South Africa in the first Tri Nations game.
"After the game I was fine and then I woke up in the morning and couldn't move my left knee," Sailor said.
He said it was the same type of injury suffered by Phil Waugh - who had a torn lateral meniscus - and expects to be out for three to four weeks after visiting the doctor today.
"I'll probably go in and have an arthroscope and be out of the rest of the Tri Nations," Sailor said.
"I'll certainly look to get back hopefully on the European tour.
"I've really enjoyed my rugby so far, but they've got 10 wingers so they won't miss me too much."
Sailor needs no reminding of what happened last year when he injured his hamstring in the warm-up to the English Test at Ballymore when his replacement Clyde Rathbone grabbed his spot by scoring three tries.
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As fate would have it, Rathbone is set to make his return from injury this week.
"I'm a bit nervous about it but what can you do?" Sailor said.
"At the moment I'm pretty helpless.
"I'll just work hard on my rehab and keep out of trouble and get fit."
The only thing sparkling about Sailor when he flew back into Sydney yesterday was the diamond stud in his ear after the dramas he had been through in South Africa.
"We certainly know our place and are under a bit of pressure now," he said.
"The guys have been really good and supportive and we've stuck together, but I still feel pretty rotten about it.
"I think the guys know in general how bad we feel about it, but at the same time sorry is sometimes not enough."
The Daily Telegraph
By Jon Geddes
August 2, 2005
AUSTRALIA'S tour of South Africa has turned into the trip from hell for Wendell Sailor with the news he will miss the rest of the Tri Nations because of a knee injury.
That shattering diagnosis follows Sailor being disciplined for being one of the players at a Cape Town nightclub prior to the Test match in Johannesburg.
It also comes at time when the big winger was arguably in his best form since switching codes and was one of the Wallabies better players in last Saturday's Test loss to South Africa in the first Tri Nations game.
"After the game I was fine and then I woke up in the morning and couldn't move my left knee," Sailor said.
He said it was the same type of injury suffered by Phil Waugh - who had a torn lateral meniscus - and expects to be out for three to four weeks after visiting the doctor today.
"I'll probably go in and have an arthroscope and be out of the rest of the Tri Nations," Sailor said.
"I'll certainly look to get back hopefully on the European tour.
"I've really enjoyed my rugby so far, but they've got 10 wingers so they won't miss me too much."
Sailor needs no reminding of what happened last year when he injured his hamstring in the warm-up to the English Test at Ballymore when his replacement Clyde Rathbone grabbed his spot by scoring three tries.
Advertisement:
As fate would have it, Rathbone is set to make his return from injury this week.
"I'm a bit nervous about it but what can you do?" Sailor said.
"At the moment I'm pretty helpless.
"I'll just work hard on my rehab and keep out of trouble and get fit."
The only thing sparkling about Sailor when he flew back into Sydney yesterday was the diamond stud in his ear after the dramas he had been through in South Africa.
"We certainly know our place and are under a bit of pressure now," he said.
"The guys have been really good and supportive and we've stuck together, but I still feel pretty rotten about it.
"I think the guys know in general how bad we feel about it, but at the same time sorry is sometimes not enough."
The Daily Telegraph