Australia lose Sean McMahon for Twickenham clash with Argentina
Sunday 2 October 2016 14:01, UK
Australia will be without back-row Sean McMahon for next weekend's Rugby Championship clash with Argentina at Twickenham.
McMahon, normally a flanker, came into the side at No 8 for the 18-10 defeat to South Africa at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday in place of the injured David Pocock - but suffered an ankle injury.
The 22-year-old was taken off at half-time after trying to run off the injury and scans confirmed a high ankle sprain.
"That's two now in that spot," Wallabies head coach Michael Cheika said. "So we'll see where we end up next week. But [McMahon] was going well when he was on there and that was pleasing."
Cheika is short of specialist No 8s following the international retirement of Wycliff Palu and an injury to Ben McCalman.
Lopeti Timani, who plays at the back of the scrum for the Melbourne Rebels, is in the squad but has played just one Test off the bench against Argentina in Perth last month.
Assistant coach Nathan Grey said uncapped loose forward Leroy Houston, who is playing in England for Bath while contracted to the Queensland Reds, could get a phone call as he was part of the squad for the June series against England.
"Leroy, obviously, has been in the programme and sort of knows how we play," Grey told reporters in Johannesburg.
"It's a good option for us to have up our sleeve. He'll be match fit as well so it's a positive."
Cheika put Saturday's defeat to the Springboks down to Australia not taking their chances but was at least happy that the South Africans had failed to cross the try-line, with all of their points coming from the boot of fly-half Morne Steyn.
Coming after the Wallabies shipped 19 tries in their first five matches of the season against England and New Zealand, Cheika thought it indicated his much-changed squad were gelling.
"It's usually a good sign of a team coming together is defence," he said.
"We've had 10 debutants, a lot of new players in the squad and we're building our team harmony, our friendships and the things that happen off the field.
"Because that's what defence is, you want to tackle and defend for each other on the field."
