Wallabies injured in playoff ahead of squad announcement

New Australia coach Dave Rennie might not have enjoyed watching the Super Rugby AU playoff on the eve of his first squad announcement on Saturday after a string of Wallabies limped off the pitch at Lang Park.

SYDNEY: New Australia coach Dave Rennie might not have enjoyed watching the Super Rugby AU playoff on the eve of his first squad announcement on Saturday after a string of Wallabies limped off the pitch at Lang Park.

Queensland Reds centre Jordan Petaia scored an early try in his team's 25-13 victory in Brisbane before coming off for a head injury assessment and not returning.

Melbourne Rebels captain Dane Haylett-Petty was forced off the pitch with a groin twinge with his flyhalf Matt To'omua also needing to be replaced when he pulled up after a kick.

"I just got a little bit tight in the hip there ... we'll see how it goes," said To'omua, who will be vying for the Wallabies number 10 shirt.

Rebels hooker Jordan Uelese, who played in five of Australia's matches at the World Cup last year, was a late addition to the injury list when he departed clutching his forearm.

Petaia's backline team mate Chris Feauai-Sautia, who has not played a test since two appearances in 2013, was another to join the injury list with a groin problem.

Australia will play two Bledisloe Cup tests against the All Blacks in New Zealand in October before hosting the Rugby Championship in November and December.

Squad sizes have been increased to 46 players for the Rugby Championship this year because of the difficulties with bringing replacements into the biosecure bubbles that will be set up because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Toby Davis)