New Leinster signing Rocky Elsom has been ruled out of the first of Australia’s two encounters against the Springboks on August 23.
The blindside flanker injured his left foot while putting in a superb individual performance in the win over the All Blacks in Sydney at the end of last month.
Elsom, who missed the recent 39-10 defeat against New Zealand in Auckland, is expected to return in time for the second of the back-to-back clashes with the World Champions on August 30, although Wallabies coach Robbie Deans is yet to decide who will start in the No6 shirt in Elsom’s absence.
"There’s likely to be some adjustment (to the line-up)," said Deans, who played opensides George Smith and Phil Waugh on the flanks during his side’s last unsuccessful outing.
"I don’t know what they are fully yet myself so I can’t communicate them."
Adam Ashley-Cooper will also miss the Durban fixture next Saturday but he too expects to be back in contention for the clash in Johannesburg a week later.
Ashley-Cooper had an operation to correct a broken hand suffered during the first-half of the Bledisloe Cup defeat and is now well on the way to a quick recovery.
"It’s progressing well," said the Wallaby full-back who was his team’s only try-scorer in Auckland.
"It’s been a week since surgery, the swelling’s down, it’s recovering really well actually.
“The doctor’s really confident that it should be good to go for the second game in South Africa."
Elsewhere in the Australian squad, captain Stirling Mortlock and fellow centre Berrick Barnes missed today’s training with a bout of flu, although both are expected to travel to South Africa on Friday.
Second row James Horwill was also unable to train but his ankle injury is not expected to keep him out of either the Durban or Johannesburg fixtures against the Boks.
