Queensland Reds Ayumu Goromaru ruled out of Japan v Scotland series following shoulder injury
Sunday 22 May 2016 17:08, UK
Japan fullback Ayumu Goromaru will miss the June test series against Scotland and looks to have played his last game for the Queensland Reds after suffering a shoulder injury that will sideline him for three months.
Goromaru, one of the key players in Japan's World Cup campaign last year, will require surgery after sustaining an AC joint separation in a rare Super Rugby start for the Reds against the Sunwolves in Brisbane on Saturday.
The 12-week spell on the sidelines will rule him out of the final three games of the regular season for the Reds, who are out of the playoff picture.
"I'm disappointed I can't play out the rest of the season with my Reds team mates and I'm obviously disappointed to be missing out on the June test series with Japan," Goromaru said.
"I've had a fantastic time in Australia and now I just want to work hard on my recovery. I'm looking forward to what challenges are ahead."
Goromaru became a cult figure in Japan when his kicking helped them beat South Africa at the Rugby World Cup in one of the biggest upsets in the history of the game.
His move to Queensland on a highly lucrative contract after snubbing the Tokyo-based Sunwolves was not an unqualified success, however.
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He made just three starts with five appearances off the bench and spent a total of 313 minutes on the pitch for the Reds, scoring 30 points with the boot.
The 30-year-old, who only signed a one-year deal with the Reds, has been strongly linked in the Japanese media with a move to Toulon.
