Wallabies five-eighth Carter Gordon has been cleared of a serious knee injury that threatened to derail his hopes of clinching the nationโs No.10 jumper.
Concern was immediate when the 25-year-old was helped from the field during the Queensland Redsโ triumph of the Crusaders before last weekโs bye.
Having scored a try-of-the-year contender to help take down the New Zealand juggernaut, he was spotted on the ground in agony early in the second half after experiencing pain following contact.
However, any fears of long-term damage have been erased, and he is expected to be fit in time for the clubโs run to the Super Rugby Pacific finals.
โItโs a minor knee injury around the cartilage, and he started in rehab,โ Reds coach Les Kiss said.
โBeing minor, weโre hopeful of it not being too long.โ
Gordon has been considered the frontrunner to spearhead the Wallabiesโ attack this year, in what looms as a crucial preparation period ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup on home soil.
Western Force maestro Ben Donaldson appears to be his strongest competitor, with Noah Lolesio currently playing in Japan.
Tom Lynagh, who featured in the first two games of the British and Irish Lions series last year before being forced to battle injuries, has managed just 18 minutes of action this year, with hamstring issues and illness holding him back.
While Gordon is still expected to miss several weeks, it is likely Harry McLaughlin-Phillips will take the play-making duties for this weekendโs Super Round clash with the Blues in Christchurch.
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