25 Aug 2009

Two star Wallabies ruled out of Tri-nations clash

6:50 pm on 25 August 2009

Lock Nathan Sharpe and centre Berrick Barnes have been ruled out of the Australian rugby team to play South Africa in the Tri-Nations on Saturday.

The pair joined a mounting casualty list that forced the Wallabies to delay the naming of their team by 48 hours.

The selector had to postpone the announcement until Thursday because of the heavy injury toll from last weekend's 19-18 loss to New Zealand in Sydney.

Four players, Sharpe, Barnes, teenage fullback James O'Connor and flanker Rocky Elsom, missed Monday's training session in Perth to seek medical treatment.

Sharpe has been ruled out of the match because of a shoulder problem while Barnes was overlooked after suffering concussion and injuring his neck against the All Blacks.

Elsom is nursing an ankle injury while O'Connor limped off the field after hurting his leg, although x-rays cleared him of any fractures.