The Super Rugby season of Western Force recruit Jordan Rapana is over before it even started after the former NRL speedster suffered a serious shoulder injury at training.
Rapana was forced to undergo a full shoulder reconstruction after injuring the joint during tackling drills last week.
The 22-year-old’s season-ending injury is another untimely blow to the Force, who are still in the process of finding a replacement for Willie Ripia after the five-eighth quit the club amidst theft allegations last month.
Rapana, who played with the Gold Coast Titans in the NRL before embarking on a two-year Mormon mission, is contracted to the Force until the end of 2013.
Meanwhile, new Western Force skipper David Pocock and his predecessor Nathan Sharpe will be notable absentees for Saturday night’s trial clash with Super Rugby rivals the Brumbies in Darwin.
Pocock has been rested after enduring a hectic 2011 campaign, while Sharpe is nursing a minor calf complaint.
Fellow Wallaby Richard Brown has also been ruled out as he recovers from a serious shoulder injury.
Fijian international Napolioni Nalaga will suit up for his first match for the Force, while Wallabies prop Salesi Ma’afu will front up against his former Brumbies team-mates for the first time.
And talented scrumhalf Justin Turner will make his return to competitive rugby after recovering from consecutive knee reconstructions.
In the absence of Pocock and Sharpe, lock Sam Wykes will captain the Force.
With the Force and Brumbies to meet in round one of the season proper, Graham predicted both sides would be careful not to reveal too much during the trial.
“It would be nice to win but it’s certainly not the be all and end all at this time of year,” coach Richard Graham said.
“It’s about finding out about people, where we are as a group mentally and physically under stress.”
Graham said he expected to announce a replacement for Ripia soon.
But it may not be a like-for-like replacement, with the coach confident playmakers James Stannard and Ben Seymour could do the job at No.10.
“At this stage it’s about brining in the best quality I can find,” Graham said.
Western Force Squad: Forwards: Jake Ball, Phoenix Battye, Nathan Charles, Angus Cottrell, Pek Cowan, Tetera Faulkner, Matthew Hodgson, Ryan Hodson, Kieran Longbottom, Toby Lynn, Salesi Ma’afu, Ben McCalman, Ben Whittaker, Sam Wykes (capt)
Backs: Chance Bunce, Cam Crowley, Nick Cummins, Alfie Mafi, Napolioni Nalaga, JP Pretorious, Ben Seymour, Brett Sheehan, Rory Sidey, Winston Stanley, James Stannard, Justin Turner, Samu Wara