* Cooper back in Wallaby squad
* Horwill’s hamstring costs him a place
* Elsom left out
(Adds details, quotes)
May 27 (Reuters) – Captain James Horwill has been left out
of Australia’s 39-man squad for the June tests against Scotland
and Wales because of a hamstring injury, the Wallabies said on
Sunday.
The towering lock sustained the injury early in the second
half of the Queensland Reds’ 13-12 win over the ACT Brumbies in
a Super Rugby match in Canberra on Saturday.
Despite the injury, the skipper joined up with the Australia
squad and coaching staff in Sydney on Sunday and will undergo a
scan on Monday but is expected to miss out on the tests.
Horwill’s absence will force the Wallabies to name a new
captain when they face Scotland on June 5 in Newcastle before
the first of three tests against Six Nations champions Wales on
successive weekends from June 9.
Scrumhalf Will Genia and openside flanker David Pocock are
the likely candidates to lead the Tri-Nations champions in the
absence of Horwill.
Flyhalf Quade Cooper was included in the 39 despite playing
only 120 minutes of rugby since a serious knee injury sustained
at last year’s World Cup.
Continued…
