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Tension is simmering between Australia's Super Rugby teams and Wallabies head coach Michael Cheika after a raft of top players returned from a Wallabies training camp injured.
Wallabies players were put through an intense nine-day fitness camp in Sydney last month where it was understood that Cheika felt unsettled overthe physical condition of some of his returning players ahead of the Rugby World Cup.
As a result, the controversial coach put his team through a time trial on day one where players who missed their marks were forced to do sprints - leaving a number of them injured.
David Pocock was among the players injured. Photo / Getty
The Sydney Morning Herald reported at least four test players - David Pocock, Adam Coleman, Dane Haylett-Petty and Nick Phipps - returned to their Super Rugby sides with soft tissue injuries, infuriating team officials.
While no coach or administrator has yet formally commented on the injuries, one club told the Sydney Morning Herald that they felt the most damaging aspect was the lack of communication between the Wallabies program and the clubs.
Following the departure of performance head Haydn Masters, Rugby Australia are scrambling to overhaul their fitness program while on the hunt for a replacement.
Players during an Australia training session. Photo / Getty
Another Wallabies camp scheduled for this Friday has added further pressure to the situation, with the five-day training camp set to leave Waratahs and Brumbies players just two days to prepare for their match in Canberra.
It's a similar narrative to the tension illustrated between the All Blacks and New Zealand's Super Rugby franchises.
All Blacks management indicated concern over the way in which Super Rugby teams had not honoured their agreement on reducing player loads as the World Cup looms.
New Zealand's system is based on gentleman's agreements between clubs and national coaches, but the current way of doing things has put good players at risk of injury and burn out.
