Wallabies Lose Lock Josh Canham to Hamstring Injury Ahead of Springbok Test in Perth
- Lock Josh Canham was ruled out of Australia's one-off Test against South Africa after picking up a hamstring injury at training on Friday
- Lukhan Salakaia-Loto will start in Canham's place, with Lachlan Shaw added to the Wallabies' bench for Sunday's clash at Optus Stadium
- Wallabies captain Harry Wilson addressed the significance of the late change, acknowledging what Canham brings to the side
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Australia have been dealt a late setback ahead of their one-off Test against world champions South Africa, with lock Josh Canham ruled out after sustaining a mild hamstring injury during the Wallabies' training session in Perth on Friday.
Source: Getty Images
Canham, who had been one of the standout performers in the Australian set-up, will be replaced in the starting XV by Lukhan Salakaia-Loto. Lachlan Shaw has been named as an additional bench option following the reshuffle.
Wilson backs Salakaia-Loto to deliver
Wallabies captain Harry Wilson acknowledged the weight of the loss at a press conference on Saturday, pointing specifically to Canham's role as the team's lineout caller.
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Wilson also expressed respect for the opposition, pointing out that despite making 13 changes from their previous Test against New Zealand, the Springboks still have around 10 Rugby World Cup winners in their squad. He said his team knew what to expect from South Africa after closely studying their impressive performances against the All Blacks.
Source: Getty Images
Kiss era on the line against World champions
The Test at Optus Stadium on Sunday carries significant weight for Australia under head coach Les Kiss, who took over from Joe Schmidt in July. Under Kiss, the Wallabies defeated Japan twice before claiming an away series victory in Argentina, their first on that soil.
A win over South Africa, who are coming off a convincing 3-1 series victory over the All Blacks, would represent the biggest result of Kiss's tenure to date. South Africa have won five of the last six Tests between the two nations, including a 30-12 victory at the same Perth venue in 2024.
The match kicks off at Optus Stadium on Sunday, 27 September at 17:45 local time (11:45 SAST), with Italian referee Andrea Piardi in charge.
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Source: Briefly News
