Jorgensen suffered the injury in the ninth minute of the Waratahs’ loss in Christchurch,when attempting to pilfer the ball from tackled Crusaders winger Chay Fihaki. The youngster’s left foot slipped as Crusaders No.12 David Havili made a clean-out,forcing Jorgensen’s left knee inwards.
Questions have been raised about the Tahs’ management of Jorgensen,given he has played all but one game in his first season as a professional. But Coleman said the injury was simply a “freak moment” and not related to workload.
“We were conscious of that and were looking at giving him a break this week[Crusaders],or the upcoming week against Moana,” Coleman said.
“We felt we didn’t want to weaken too much for that Crusaders game,and that it was good for his experience,the more times he plays in that hostile environment in New Zealand,the better he is going to get at it.
“But as far as his injury,there were no[injury] precursors that he was carrying into the game. It was just a freak moment,he just got caught awkward on the clean-out.”
The injury to Jorgensen has put a dampener on what is hoped to be a week of celebration,with the Waratahs set to farewell legendary flanker Michael Hooper.
One on one:Jones speaks with Waratahs back Max Jorgensen.Credit:Getty
As reported,Hooper will be playing his last home game for NSW at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night,against Moana Pasifika,and fans have been encouraged to farewell the former skipper. Departing front-rowers Tolu Latu and Tetera Faulkner will also be bidding farewell to Sydney.
“He (Hooper) is trying to play down as much of it as he can but he is obviously a talisman for the team and an icon for the last 10-15 years for Australian rugby,so his last game for us at the Sydney Football Stadium will be something you’d want to see,” Coleman said.
“Hoops is an icon and he is someone who,as much he’ll accept,he is someone we want to honour the right way.”
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Hooper will return after a week off,and Coleman conceded he would likely rest and rotate more players against Moana. Jed Holloway has one game left to sit out under Wallabies resting protocols,according to informed sources. Izzy Perese and Lalakai Foketi are both likely to return.
The options to replace Jorgensen at fullback are Harry Wilson,or moving Ben Donaldson back and starting Tane Edmed at no.10,following the latter’s return from a long injury layoff in Christchurch.
With one game left,the Waratahs can’t shift from sixth spot but their quarter-final opponent could be one of three teams:the Blues,the Brumbies or the Hurricanes.
The Brumbies have been in the top four all season but could drop out if they lose to the Rebels in Canberra,and the Canes beat the Crusaders.
The ACT club are sweating on good news about Alaalatoa,who left the field in the Brumbies’ loss to the Chiefs on Saturday and will have scans on a calf injury on Monday. The Brumbies are also hoping Nic White will be available,after missing three weeks with a shoulder injury.
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