Grand Slam tour: Rob Simmons ready to boss Wallabies lineout

Experienced lock Rob Simmons has declared he is ready to lead Australia’s lineout once more.

With Adam Coleman sidelined, Rob Simmons is likely to be leading the Wallabies lineout.

Experienced lock Rob Simmons says he is ready to lead Australia’s lineout once more after Adam Coleman sustained a serious knee injury last weekend.

​Coleman, the Wallabies’ main lineout caller in recent Tests, has undergone scans and will fly back to Australia after suffering a grade two tear on his medial ligament.

​Wallabies coach Michael Cheika confirmed the news in Paris yesterday. Coleman was always going to struggle to play again in this campaign after leaving Murrayfield on crutches .

Simmons, the man Coleman replaced as lineout boss, is determined to reassert his position in the starting team as the Wallabies continue their Grand Slam quest.

“I need to take that opportunity, like I’ve had to all year and I need to get out there and impress the coaches and try and take that spot,” said Simmons, who replaced Coleman after just four minutes in Edinburgh. “Lineout calling I’m comfortable with. I’ve been doing it for a while now so that shouldn’t be an issue.”

Simmons is likely to partner Rory Arnold in the first-choice lock pairing for the remainder of the tour, but that does not necessarily mean they’ll both start against France as this Test does not count towards the Grand Slam.

“I couldn’t tell you exactly how many minutes or anything I’ve played with (Arnold), I’ve played a couple — I played that first game against England in the June series, I started with him and injured my back in the first 20 minutes,” Simmons said. “Apart from that, it’s been in and out this year.

“I’ve been very impressed (with Arnold). He’s an angry guy once he crosses that white line and that’s exactly what we need from us big fellas.”