Can Australia break the All Blacks' 17-test winning streak at Eden Park on Saturday?
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The Wallabies have been forced into a late change for Saturday's Tri-Nations and Bledisloe Cup rugby test against the All Blacks, with experienced No 8 David Lyons ruled out on Thursday because of a blood clot.
The clot in his left calf muscle had swelled up after training
in Auckland this afternoon and was considered a risk to his health.
The announcement was made at a press conference this evening, with reserve Stephen Hoiles promoted to start in his place. Another ACT Brumbies forward, Mark Chisholm, was called into the 22-man squad and will be on the reserve bench.
New South Wales veteran Lyons was in doubt earlier this week when his calf swelled at training so the recurrence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) symptoms was the final straw.
The DVT is not considered as dangerous as if it was above the knee or in the arm but team medics deemed it a risk to play the 27-year-old at Eden Park.
It is another blow at the back of the scrum for Australia.
Lyons had replaced Wycliff Palu from the starting 15 that beat the All Blacks in Melbourne last month, with Palu suffering a serious shoulder injury in that game.
Both are effective ball-runners so their absence will impact on Australia's ability provide go-forward through breaching the advantage line.
Earlier this week the visitors lost fullback Julian Huxley to a freak thigh injury, when he was tackled by former Wallabies back Gene Fairbanks at a Brumbies function on Saturday night.
Adam Ashley-Cooper was switched from the wing to start at fullback, with Chris Latham a surprise inclusion on the bench after returning to rugby just two weeks ago, having recovered from knee surgery.
- NZPA
