Australia
Will Genia out for eight weeks
ESPN Staff
June 15, 2014
Genia will be unavailable for the final France Test match and the rest of the regular Super Rugby season © Getty Images
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Australia have suffered another injury blow with 55-Test veteran Will Genia ruled out for eight weeks with an ankle injury. Genia requires surgery and will miss the final Test against France and the remainder of the regular Super Rugby season with Queensland Reds.

Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie said having the surgery now would allow Genia to return for the Rugby Championship and Bledisloe Cup series.

"Will has demonstrated enormous mental fortitude to play through the injury although it has reached a point where it's important he gets it surgically repaired so that he can get back to 100 percent fitness," McKenzie said. "We've seen before how committed Will is when undergoing rehab and I would expect him to work hard to be available for selection when we begin our ... Rugby Championship campaign."

Genia suffered the injury during the Reds' round 11 loss to the Hurricanes. He pushed through the discomfort to be available for Wallabies selection, but scans late last week confirmed the injury had not healed sufficiently and so medical staff from both the Wallabies and Queensland Reds agreed that surgery would be the best course of action.

Melbourne Rebels scrum-half Luke Burgess has replaced Genia in the Wallabies squad having recovered sufficiently from his knee injury sustained in the victory over the Reds at Suncorp Stadium.

Burgess has made 37 appearances for the Wallabies, the last at the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand before a stint in Toulouse. Burgess returned to Australia with the Rebels in June, 2013.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd

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