(Reuters) – Darcy Swain will make his first start for Australia since serving a six-week ban for inflicting a season-ending injury on New Zealand’s Quinn Tupaea after being called up as a late replacement for Nick Frost for Saturday’s test against Italy.
Frost withdrew from the clash in Florence with an ankle injury and illness issues, prompting coach Dave Rennie to hand Swain a place in the starting XV for the first time since the Rugby Championship meeting with the All Blacks in September.
“We’ve certainly sat down with Darcy post the last suspension,” Rennie told reporters.
“What we don’t want is him getting a reputation.”
Swain’s suspension for the incident involving Tupaea came after he had earlier earned a two week ban for being sent off during July’s series against England, when he was shown a red card for a retaliatory headbutt on Jonny Hill.
Against New Zealand he received a yellow card for the dangerous clearout that saw Tupaea suffer a serious knee injury, with the suspension handed out after the incident had been reviewed by officials.
The 25-year-old was able to travel with the Wallabies to Europe for their current tour after he was included as a late selection on Australia A’s squad for a three-test series against a Japan XV in October that accounted for half of his ban.
“His first suspension was provoked,” said Rennie. “I think if the officials had done a better job when he got punched in the face and then his hair pulled and elbowed, maybe he wouldn’t have retaliated. Anyway, he did, and he’s got to wear that.
“He’s learned from that and the last one was clumsy. It’s not malicious. He’s trying to be physical but he was pretty inaccurate. And you know, unfortunately, he got suspended and Quinn Tupaea got a long-term injury which Darcy really regrets.”
(Reporting by Michael Church in Hong Kong; Editing by Stephen Coates)
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