A devastated Mark Gerrard is packing his bags for home after a tournament-ending injury to his left knee in Australia's 91-3 thumping of Japan at Stade Gerland.
Gerrard was on the field for only one minute, taking the ball into a tackle and having his medial ligament ruptured,
before being carried off.
The Wallabies feared the worst immediately as the skilful utility back reported he heard "two clicks", before being consoled by teammate Stephen Larkham in the dressing room.
Scans confirmed the rupture and he will now wear a leg brace for six to eight weeks.
The only good news is that he will not need surgery and should be right for the 2008 Super 14 season - but that's little consolation for the 25-year-old playing in his first World Cup.
"It's disappointing, especially at this point of the tournament."
Coach John Connolly is now expected to call for Western Force fullback/winger Cameron Shepherd to fly to France as a replacement. Shepherd heads a shortlist containing Clinton Schifcofske, Lachlan Turner and Digby Ioane as Connolly left no doubt he was favouring experience.
Connolly said Gerrard's injury had taken some of the gloss off the team's impressive first-up performance. "We wanted to give our forwards a good workout and practise our rolling mauls and we did all that."
* France first five-eighths David Skrela will miss the hosts' next two pool games at least because of an ankle injury. Skrela, who was substituted because of the injury in France's 12-17 loss to Argentina in the opening game on Saturday, will have to rest for at least 15 days.
He is certain to miss France's next two pool D games, against Namibia on September 17 in Toulouse and Ireland on September 22 in Paris.
Skrela, who tore his left Achilles tendon, will have further tests in a fortnight to see if he can resume playing.
Teams can call up a new player only if an injured player is ruled out for the duration of the tournament.
France's other two first-fives are Skrela's replacement, Frederic Michalak, and Lionel Beauxis.
- Reuters
