Waratahs boss Michael Cheika didn’t hide his disappointment and frustration after learning that lock forward Kane Douglas had been injured while away with the Wallabies.
Douglas was part of the 49-man national squad who met up in Sydney on Monday as the Wallabies stepped up their preparations for the visit of the Lions this summer.
The 23-year-old, who made his Test debut against Argentina on the Gold Coast in the Rugby Championship last year, rolled his ankle on Tuesday and is expected to be unable to train for two weeks.
The setback occurred during a game of touch rugby against a group of British and Irish backpackers as part of a promotion for the June arrival of the Lions – something which hasn’t pleased former Leinster coach Cheika who has already voiced his displeasure at the prospect of losing his international stars for three weeks prior to the Wallabies’ opening Test against Warren Gatland’s troops on June 22.
"We were assured there would be no rugby content whatsoever and we've had a player injured shooting an advertisement without the correct strapping," Cheika told AAP.
"He's now going to start the season with just two weeks of training – that type of stuff makes it (releasing players) hard to swallow.
"I understand mistakes can happen sometimes but we can minimise them and that shouldn't be happening.
"That makes it very difficult to believe in the process when the details aren't being maintained correctly."
Cheika is keen for the situation regarding player release to be resolved as soon as possible as his side build up to the start of the Super Rugby season in mid February.
The Waratahs provided 13 players in Australia’s pre-season squad and Cheika could be without the majority of his star names for a crucial domestic clash with the Force if Robbie Deans decides to keep his international contingent wrapped in cotton wool prior to the series opener with the Lions in Brisbane.
"If we're taking a consultation approach, the view from all the states at the High Performance Unit meeting was this shouldn't happen," added Cheika.
"If we're not being incorporated in the decision, then make the decision and be accountable for it."
