A knee injury has forced Australia captain Stirling Mortlock out of the rest of this year’s Tri-Nations series.
AP reports that Mortlock hurt his left knee in last weekend’s 29-17 loss to South Africa in Cape Town and scans taken on Tuesday revealed he had suffered torn cartilage.
The 32-year-old has been ordered to undergo keyhole surgery on Wednesday, sidelining him for at least six weeks and the rest of the Tri-Nations.
Utility forward Peter Kimlin is also expected to be out of action for up to six weeks after damaging a nerve in his right shoulder on a recent development tour of Europe.
The injuries to Mortlock and Kimlin prompted the Australian selectors to call up lock Mark Chisholm and the Waratahs back Kurtley Beale to an expanded squad before the next match against New Zealand in Sydney next week.

His career must be almost over now.
Loads of injuries and on the wrong side of thirty.
@McLovin (Comment 1) : yeah… one of the “almost greats”, this guy.
The Oupa of the Wobblies…..he was (is?) a great player…..too bad soo sad… 😈
@robdylan (Comment 2) : @Pokkel (Comment 3) : 2 posts at exactly the same time 😯
I hear Rathbone has also gooied in the towell…too many injuries and a lost of the will to play …sad..
DID YOU GUYS SEE DANNY BOY IS GONNA BE BACK??? 🙂
@Prof. Ice Babe(Thunder Horse) (Comment 5) : That oke’s made of glass. But seems like a nice guy.
@McLovin (Comment 6) :
Who ?? Danny?
@robdylan (Comment 2) : Almost greats? WTF? Probably the best centre the world has had for the last couple of years – name me one who comes close?
@Worcestershire Sauce (Comment 8) :
You CLEARLY forgot about the world best centre…;-)
@Worcestershire Sauce (Comment 8) : Agreed, fantastic player…he should probably hang up his boots so people can remember his as the great player he was.
@Prof. Ice Babe(Thunder Horse) (Comment 7) : Rathbone.
@McLovin (Comment 11) :
He did not do too bad IMO…thought he could have been quite okay though..
@Prof. Ice Babe(Thunder Horse) (Comment 9) : 😆