Why are far too many Wallabies missing far too many minutes?

July 18, 2026 — 9:30am

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In the normal world, Carter Gordon or Tom Lynagh would be leading the Wallabies against Italy in Perth on Saturday, ably backed up by Ben Donaldson.

But long-suffering Wallabies fans haven’t had the luxury of living in the normal world for at least four years when it comes to injuries.

In late 2022, then Rugby Australia chief executive Andy Marinos said an “alarming” cluster of ruptured Achilles injuries within four months would be scrutinised in an independent review. Additionally, about 40 other separate injuries that ruled players out of Tests would be probed.

Yet, four years later Gordon, Lynagh and Donaldson all either have active calf injuries or are recovering from them.

The straw that broke the camel’s back this week was Italy winger Louis Lynagh’s revelation that brother Tom had missed almost the entire Super Rugby season with the all-too-familiar lower limb........

© The Sydney Morning Herald