rugby.com.au    29.Aug.2012

Wallabies first five-eighth Quade Cooper will be available for Australia’s next match in The Investec Rugby Championship despite confirmation today that he has been suffering from a small fracture in the lateral (outer) tibia (main leg bone).

The injury, which was revealed by scans today in Brisbane, was aggravated during last Saturday night’s Test at Eden Park. It had only caused minor discomfort previously and had not shown up on previous scans.

While the injury will be closely monitored, Wallabies medical staff anticipate that it will settle quickly, and it isn’t expected to impact on Cooper’s availability for Australia’s defence of the Nelson Mandela Challenge Plate, which starts when the Qantas Wallabies tackle South Africa in the home leg of that series at Patterson’s Stadium in Perth on Saturday September 8.

Cooper will assemble with the other members of the 30-man squad in Perth this Sunday in preparation for that game.