SYDNEY—Wounded Wallabies Wycliff Palu and Timana Tahu are on track to return for the start of the NSW Waratahs Super 14 rugby campaign after coming home early from the Spring Tour.
No. 8 Palu (shoulder) and centre Tahu (hamstring) trained separately from their NSW colleagues on Monday afternoon, in the team's first session of the new year.
New Waratahs coach Chris Hickey was confident both men would be available for the opening round Super 14 fixture against the Hurricanes in Wellington on February 14.
He wasn't sure whether Palu would play any of the trials, but expected Tahu to participate in one or possibly even two of the Waratahs' three pre-season games.
"Cliffy (Palu) had an arthroscope on his shoulder, he's made some really good progress over the last month and we'd hope that will certainly be back by the first competition game," Hickey said.
"Timana completed a really good period before Christmas in terms of his rehab and he's probably about another week (away from) joining the squad for full training."
Hickey remained resigned to losing prop Matt Dunning for the season after he snapped his Achilles playing for Australia against the Barbarians at Wembley, but was hopeful fellow frontrower Sekope Kepu might still play a part in the Super 14 following his torn pectoral muscle injury in the same game.
"There's some hope at this stage he may be back for perhaps the last three or four games," Hickey said of Kepu.
The Waratahs coach said he still had a couple of tight five forward positions to fill on his roster.
"We've still got an opportunity to contract a lock and with the injuries to Matt Dunning and Sekope Kepu, we probably need to look at bringing another prop into our squad."
Hickey said he always looked initially inside Australia when recruiting, but was also prepared to look overseas.
"If there's nobody to fit the bill here then we can have a look overseas, but it's a limited pool of players available in Europe because they are in contract, so there's not a lot of players available," Hickey said.
"But we still look primarily for Australian players who might be playing overseas, who may be available to assist us at some stage."
Centre Tom Carter who underwent groin surgery in September, said he had been back in training for around two weeks and felt really good.
Seven Wallabies returned to training today, including halfback Luke Burgess, who had been scheduled to have one more week off.
"I didn't have much on the calendar, so I thought I needed the extra preparation," Burgess said.
A further five Wallabies will rejoin the squad next Monday.
NSW will play three trials, against Queensland in Toowoomba on January 24, the Fiji Warriors in Newcastle on January 30 and the Brumbies at Sydney Football Stadium on February 5.
