Genia latest victim of 'captain's curse'

CHAMPIONSHIP Australia 26 South Africa 19:AUSTRALIA SCRUMHALF Will Genia succumbed to the "captain's curse" when he was ruled out of rugby for six months after he ruptured a knee ligament in the Wallabies' victory over South Africa on Saturday.

Genia limped off during the win, Australia’s first of the Rugby Championship, and he follows regular captain James Horwill (hamstring) and his initial stand-in David Pocock (knee) on to the sidelines for the rest of the Southern Hemisphere competition.

The 24-year-old’s knee was strapped with a large ice pack and he required crutches to walk after the match in Perth. Scans on Sunday revealed he had ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament, a team spokesman said.

Local media reported he will be replaced by Brett Sheehan in the Wallabies’ squad for their clash with Argentina next week on the Gold Coast.

The Wallabies, who were criticised in the Australian media following back-to-back losses to the All Blacks, trailed 13-6 at half-time in Perth before rallying with tries from replacement loose forward Scott Higginbotham and prop Ben Alexander.

Inside centre Berrick Barnes kicked four penalties and two conversions for a perfect record with the boot as Australia scored their record fifth straight win over the Springboks.

Winger Bryan Habana scored South Africa’s only try, while Morne Steyn added two penalties and a conversion and Frans Steyn booted two penalties.

AUSTRALIA: K Beale; D Shipperley, A Ashley-Cooper, B Barnes, D Ioane; Q Cooper, W Genia (capt); B Robinson, T Polota-Nau, B Alexander, S Timani, N Sharpe, D Dennis, M Hooper, Radike Samo. Replacements: J Slipper for Robinson (31 mins), S Higginbotham for Samo (52 mins), L Gill for Timani (64 mins), N Phipps for Genia (70 mins), M Harris for Barnes, A Faingaa for Beale (both 71), S Fainga'a for Polota-Nau, Robinson for Alexander (74 mins).

SOUTH AFRICA: Z Kirchner; B Habana, J de Villiers, F Steyn, F Hougaard; M Steyn, R Pienaar; T Mtawarira, A Strauss, J du Plessis, E Etzebeth, J Kruger, M Coetzee, W Alberts, D Vermeulen. Replacements: P Cilliers for Du Plessis (53 mins), L Mvovo for Habana (52 mins), F Louw for Coetzee (57 mins), F van der Merwe for Etzebeth (59 mins), J Goosen for Kirchner, P Lambie for M Steyn (both 71 mins), T Liebenberg for Strauss (75 mins).

Referee: N Owens(Wales).