Aussie Kefu in World Cup heartache

Australia's World Cup aspirations suffered a heavy blow when vice-captain and influential number eight Toutai Kefu was ruled out of the tournament with a cracked shoulder-blade.

Kefu suffered the injury during Australia's Tri-Nations defeat to New Zealand on August 16 and has been under a fitness cloud ever since.

The Australian Rugby Union were forced to send the Queenslander to see a specialist after the injury, which has restricted his movement severely, showed few signs of healing.

Kefu has had to try and sleep sitting up, could hardly move his left arm and was unable even to hold his newborn baby.

The consultation and medical scan revealed a severe break in the shoulder which is thought to be six weeks away from even beginning to mend.

"I gave it one last shot this morning but the injury is a lot worse than first thought and that means I will miss the World Cup," said Kefu.

The news brings Kefu's illustrious international career to an end after 60 caps for Australia as he heads off to play in Japan after the World Cup.

It also throws a late spanner in the works for head coach Eddie Jones, who is due to name his World Cup squad on Thursday.

David Lyons or open-side flanker George Smith are the likely replacements for Kefu at number eight in Australia's first-choice starting line-up.

Smith played on the blind-side flank during the Tri-Nations and could move to the back of the scrum allowing the experienced and in-form Owen Finegan to be promoted from the bench.

Waratahs number eight Lyons, who has played at six for the Wallabies earlier in the season, is Jones' other option and has the backing of former Australia selector Andrew Slack.

Whoever he chooses, Jones will be without his most experienced forward and a player considered virtually indispensable to the Wallabies' hopes of becoming the first side to retain the World Cup.

"There are some people you just don't want to lose and Toutai is one of them," said Jones.

"This was to be Kefu's farewell to Australian rugby and to see him miss out this way is a tragedy."