Australian fullback Julian Huxley has injured his right thigh after being tackled at a party by fellow Brumbies player Gene Fairbanks. The injury has ruled him out of Saturday’s Tri Nations \ Bledisloe Cup decider against New Zealand.
“It was a private function, it was quite civilised and no one was drinking heavily or anything … it really was just a joke gone wrong,” Huxley said.
“Whilst it was an unfortunate incident that I really didn’t have a lot of control over, I really regret that it’s caused a distraction considering how well the team’s going at the moment.
“I’ve spoken to a lot of them individually, not in a team meeting, and I’ve spoken to management and certainly regret that I put myself in the situation where that could happen.
“I just hope it doesn’t remain one (a distraction) all week and the guys can come out on the weekend and give the All Blacks hell,” said Huxley.
Australian Rugby Union CEO John O’Neill was not impressed.
“We’re extremely disappointed this has happened days away from a very important game. Players should not be putting themselves in harm’s way.
“It has been a long time since we have been in the running for the Tri Nations and Bledisloe Cup … and in the space of just over two weeks we have now lost two players for a crucial Bledisloe encounter due to avoidable off-field incidents,” said O’Neill
An embarrassed Huxley admitted that if he had iced his thigh immediately, he would probably have been available to play on Saturday.
“The medical staff were disappointed I didn’t report it earlier. Being new to the side, I was embarrassed about it and hoping against hope that it would settle down and I wouldn’t have to turn up with egg on my face, so to speak.
“But I didn’t report it as early as I should have. It was a lesson I will learn well.”
Wallby coach Knuckles Connolly was tearing his hair out at the latest off-field incident to plague his undisciplined side.
“We are frustrated that seven days out from arguably one of the biggest games these guys will ever play – the Bledisloe Cup and Tri Nations decider – that someone stays out late and puts himself in a position to get injured.”
He admitted that Huxley’s case was different to that of Lote Tuqiri.
“It is different. In Julian’s case, he could be perceived as innocent and a bystander from someone else doing something very silly. It appears that that is the case. But he did put himself in that position late at night for that to happen.”
Huxley was visibly disappointed at being ruled out of Saturday’s clash.
“It’s really disappointing to have to miss out on the Test match this weekend – to miss out on a game like that, they don’t come along every year and hopefully I’ll get the chance to play some of these games again.
“To play the All Blacks in New Zealand, they’re the toughest test, you always want to play at the highest level you can play and the number one team on their home soil would have been a great challenge.”
               Â
These Wallabies are their own worst enemy.