Coonamble's Ned Hanigan is back home in Australia after injury cut short his spring tour with the Wallabies.
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Hanigan is set to go under the knife having injured his knee during the second half of last weekend’s test against England.
The flanker was one of two Wallabies heading home early, with Adam Coleman also forced from the tour due to a thumb injury.
"(It's just a) small operation (for Coleman), Hanigan on his way home too with his knee," Cheika said during the week.
"Medial nothing to catastrophic."
Hanigan is expected to be fully fit again well before the start of the 2018 Super Rugby season.
The squad for this weekend’s match against Scotland was released on Thursday and Hanigan’s fellow Central West product Ben McCalman was named in place of the Coonamble junior in the starting side.
Warrens McCalman will wear the number six jersey against the Scots but Dubbo Kangaroos junior Tom Robertson won’t feature, having missed out on a bench spot.
One player who did make the bench was 21-year-old Taniela Tupou, more commonly known as ‘Tongan Thor’.
Tupou has completed his three-year eligibility requirements, after moving to Australia from New Zealand as a teenager.
"I'm lost for words, I actually don't know what to say," Tupou said.
"I was in tears actually. The first thing that came to my mind was my family.
"Growing up in Tonga as a young kid, all I wanted to do was to play for Australia one day and now I can do that this weekend.
"I just wish my family was here. I know my team will have my back, so can't wait."
New Zealand were keen to have Tupou in their national schoolboys team side after he won a scholarship to study at Auckland's Sacred Heart College.
However, the quietly-spoken wrecking ball said watching the Wallabies as child gave him a special affection for the gold jersey.
"I grew up in Tonga, always watching the Wallabies, watching guys like 'Squeak' (Stephen Moore), Sekope Kepu and Taf (Polota-Nau).
"I was always wanting to play for Australia, even I went to New Zealand, I was lucky enough to get a scholarship ... but it didn't change me.
"It didn't change for me, wanting to play for Australia and I'm grateful and I can't wait to get out there and play on Saturday."
Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
