Wallabies U-turn: Australia star now ‘cleared of concussion’ two days after Joe Schmidt ruled him out
Wallabies No.10 Tom Lynagh in action last Saturday in Townsville
There has been another twist regarding the health of Tom Lynagh, with the Wallabies issuing a Monday statement insisting that he had not failed his HIA last Saturday and was still in contention to play in this weekend’s Rugby Championship rematch with Argentina in Sydney.
The 22-year-old was taken from the Round Three field in Townsville due to a tight hamstring, but he was asked to take a HIA. Post-game comments from Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt suggested that Lynagh had failed the check and wasn’t in the reckoning to play in Round Four.
At the time, shortly after the Wallabies’ dramatic last-gasp 28-24 win over the Pumas, Schmidt said: “His [Lynagh’s] tackle technique is usually pretty sound. We brought him off for a tight hamstring, and it was after that that they decided to do a HIA. Tom didn’t flag it. I’m guessing it was from a mouthguard alert.”
Further acknowledging that last Saturday was Lynagh’s first run in the team since a concussion sustained in the third Test versus the British and Irish Lions on August 2, Schmidt added: “We gave him an extended rest after the third Test against the Lions, and he felt good after that game and feels good now.
“We won’t be risking him in any way…”
“That is a good first sign, but we know he can’t play next week and it puts him in a bit of doubt for the Bledisloe. We won’t be risking him in any way, shape or form and getting him the best medical advice.”
This suggested unavailability indicated that James O’Connor, the replacement last Saturday who started twice in place of the absent Lynagh in South Africa, would likely step up again.
Schmidt added there would also be talks with O’Connor’s new Leicester club boss, Geoff Parling, about his availability for the tournament-ending two matches against New Zealand in Auckland and Perth on September 27 and October 4.
However, the concussion fears surrounding Lynagh have now been put to bed two days after Schmidt’s post-game comments, as a statement insisted he hadn’t failed his HIA and that the only worry surrounding him heading into next weekend’s Round Four match was his tight hamstring.
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The statement read: “Tom Lynagh has undertaken his HIA2 post-game and HIA3 today [Monday], with both presenting as normal. At no point did he ever have concussion symptoms despite the result of his HIA1 being off his baseline – which could have been due to other factors at the time.
“Tom is therefore cleared of concussion and is continuing to be monitored for the tight hamstring that forced him from the field on Saturday.”
Lynagh’s series of previous concussions included a couple of knocks sustained with the Queensland Reds, as well as the Wallabies incident five weeks ago which resulted in Dan Sheehan of the Lions getting cited and banned for four matches.
Having finished up at the Crusaders, Lynagh’s cover O’Connor is due to fly to England after next weekend’s Round Four match to begin his club contract with Leicester.
Tigers’ new Premiership season is set to begin with a September 28 trip to Bristol, but Schmidt has admitted he will now be contacting new Leicester boss Parling – who was Schmidt’s Wallabies assistant until the end of the Lions series – about the possibility of keeping O’Connor with him until the end of the Championship.
“That will be, can I call it, ‘by negotiation’,” quipped Schmidt as the dust settled on the Round Three win that put Australia in second place on the table, one point behind leaders New Zealand.
“He [O’Connor] is massively supportive, but has a responsibility to Leicester. So I know he is available next week and beyond that it will be conversations with Geoff.”
