Genia going under the knife

Wallabies scrumhalf Will Genia will be sidelined for up to eight weeks with the 55-game Test veteran to undergo surgery on his right ankle on Tuesday.

Scans late last week confirmed a pre-existing injury to the upper part of his ankle had not healed sufficiently and as a result medical staff from both the Wallabies and Reds agreed that surgery would be the best course of action.

Genia initially suffered the injury in the Reds Round 11 Super Rugby clash against the Hurricanes although has pushed through the discomfort to be available for selection until this point.

Melbourne Rebels scrumhalf Luke Burgess will now join the Wallabies in camp in Sydney.

Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie said the timing of the surgery would allow Genia to be healthy for the beginning of the Rugby Championship.

“Will has demonstrated enormous mental fortitude to play through the injury although it has reached a point where it’s important he gets it surgically repaired so that he can get back to 100 percent fitness,” McKenzie said.

“We’ve seen before how committed Will is when undergoing rehab and I would expect him to work hard to be available for selection when we begin our Rugby Championship campaign.”

Reds coach Richard Graham commended Genia for his attitude since sustaining the injury.

“It’s a credit to Will’s toughness and character that he was willing to continue playing through the injury for the remainder of the season, but in his best interests we have all come to an agreement that surgery is the best option,” Graham said.