Rugby World Cup 2023: Max Jorgensen ruled out of tournament after breaking leg at training

Just when you thought it couldn’t get much worse for the Wallabies, an intense World Cup training session has led to a young gun being ruled out of the tournament.

Australia's full back Max Jorgensen. Picture: OLIVIER CHASSIGNOLE / AFP

Australia’s rocky Rugby World Cup campaign has gone from bad to worse with news teenage sensation Max Jorgensen broke his leg at training and is out of the tournament.

The youngest member of the 33-man Australian squad, the 19-year-old outside back went down during an intense practice session at the team’s training base outside of St Etienne.

He was immediately sent for scans, which confirmed he had fractured his fibula.

Team officials said Jorgensen would return to Australia and a replacement, still to be decided, would join the squad.

“Firstly we’re all feeling for Max,” Wallabies head coach Eddie Jones said.

“He’s a good young man who has a massive future ahead of him in the gold jersey.

“He’s worked really hard to come back from a serious knee injury and was training exceptionally well to put his hand up for selection.

Max Jorgensen had put his hand up for selection after returning from a serious knee injury. Picture: AFP

“We wish him a speedy and successful recovery and look forward to seeing him out on the field as soon as possible.”

The only uncapped member of the squad, Jorgensen was picked for France mainly for experience in the expectation that he would be a Wallaby regular in the future.

He did not play in Australia’s two matches – against Georgia and Fiji – and was not expected to be chosen for Sunday’s must-win clash with Wales in Lyon.

Under the tournament rules, Jones can choose any replacement he likes so does not have to call up another winger.

But any replacement player who comes in cannot play the next match, meaning Jones can’t fast-track anyone in for this weekend’s must-win clash with Wales in Lyon,

But whoever does come in could be available to play against Portugal the following week and the quarter-finals, if the Wallabies qualify for the knockout phase.

With a strong contingent already of outside backs, Jones could lean towards bringing in another forward to cover for lock Will Skelton or prop Taniela Tupou, who are both injured and expected to miss the remaining two Pool C fixtures

Jones could also consider adding another five-eighth after rookie No.10 Carter Gordon struggled in the loss to Fiji.

After a breakout season with the Waratahs, Jorgensen – the son of former Wallaby and NRL player Peter Jorgensen – was considered a long shot just to make the World Cup after he injured his knee in May and needed surgery to repair the damage.

But he made a speedy recovery, took the rest of the year off University and was a last-minute inclusion.

In better news for the Wallabies, halfback Tate McDermott has been cleared to return after a head knock. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

There was some good news for the Wallabies on the injury front with halfback Tate McDermott and prop Pone Fa’amausili both cleared to return.

McDermott missed the match against Fiji after he was given a mandatory 12-day stand down after copping a head knock against Georgia while Fa’amausili has been sideline by a calf injury since the team arrived in France.

“It adds a lot. A big ball-carrying tight-head prop and somebody who has captained the team. Both really important players for us,” Wallabies assistant coach Neal Hatley said.

“Tate has become a really influential player and I think you saw the first 40 minutes down in Dunedin (against New Zealand last month) just how important Pone has become for us.

“He's our most improved player. For a guy who didn’t start regularly for the ebels to doing what he’s doing at the moment is phenomenal. His body’s changed, his whole attitude, his mindset, how he approaches training.

“It's the toughest position in the game, tight-head prop and even though he’s a big man – like a ‘hippo on roller-skates’

Originally published as Rugby World Cup 2023: Max Jorgensen ruled out of tournament after breaking leg at training