Gregan fit to tour South Africa
2005-07-11 08:59
Sydney, Australia - Wallaby captain George Gregan, who spent Saturday night in hospital with a rib injury, has been declared fit for Australia's two-Test tour of South Africa, team officials said on Monday.
The 109-Test veteran scrumhalf left the field before full time on Saturday in Australia's dominant 30-12 destruction of the Springboks at Sydney's Olympic stadium
However, coach Eddie Jones said Gregan only suffered bruising.
He will spearhead Australia's 28-man squad for the upcoming tour which starts with a July 23 Test in Johannesburg in the second of the Mandela Challenge Plate series and is followed a week later by the teams' first Test of the Tri Nations season in Pretoria.
Matt Henjak, Scott Fava and Nic Henderson along with Chris Latham, Daniel Vickerman and Stirling Mortlock, who return from injury, will join the 22-man team that outclassed the Springboks on Saturday.
The team is due to leave Wednesday - based on scientific advice about the best time to fly.
"Sports science suggests the best approach is to fly over 10 days before we have to play our first match," Jones said in a statement.
"This should allow us to get over the time difference and give the players the best opportunity to prepare well both physically and mentally for the next Test," he added.
The full Australian squad:
Al Baxter, Mark Chisholm, Matt Dunning, Rocky Elsom, Scott Fava, Mark Gerrard, Matt Giteau, George Gregan (c), Nic Henderson, Matt Henjak, Stephen Larkham, Chris Latham, David Lyons, Drew Mitchell, Stephen Moore, Stirling Mortlock, Jeremy Paul, John Roe, Mat Rogers, Wendell Sailor, Nathan Sharpe, George Smith, Lote Tuqiri, Morgan Turinui, Daniel Vickerman, Phil Waugh, Chris Whitaker, Bill Young.
- AP