Hugh McMeniman's dreadful run of injuries continues, with a rolled ankle forcing the utility forward out of the Bledisloe Cup match in Hong Kong on November 1. He is also set to miss the Italy Test in Padova the following weekend, and is not expected to overcome the ligament strain until the week of the England Test at Twickenham on November 15.

Over the past three years, McMeniman has been struck down by an array of injuries, including major shoulder and knee ailments that have led to extensive periods on the sideline.

If he were fit, the Queenslander would have been in contention for a spot either in the Wallabies second row or as the blindside breakaway for the All Blacks Test.

The Wallabies are now expected to go into the Bledisloe Cup match with a Nathan Sharpe-Mark Chisholm second-row combination, with Dean Mumm a strong possibility as the Test No.6. The unavailability of second-rower Dan Vickerman and back-rower Rocky Elsom for this tour is hitting the Wallabies hard, as the pack, now without McMeniman, has lost a lot of its edge.

Doubts over whether Wycliff Palu, who is recovering from a knee injury, will be available for the opening Tests could mean Richard Brown becomes the new Wallabies No.8 for the opening internationals on the five-Test tour. Brown is certain to get a lot of Test time during the five-week tour as he is the type of forward Wallabies coach Robbie Deans likes - ultra-aggressive, highly mobile, overly enthusiastic and boasting an enormous work rate.

The other forward suffering leg problems is ACT second-rower Peter Kimlin, a late addition to the Wallabies squad after James Horwill had to withdraw. Kimlin, like McMeniman, will be sidelined until at least the third week of the tour with a quadriceps strain.

The Wallabies will not know until shortly before the team leaves for Hong Kong on Monday week whether their most experienced winger, Lote Tuqiri, will be part of the touring party.

Today Tuqiri will see the surgeon who did his recent knee operation, and his fate hinges on whether he can run properly in a week's time.

Deans said yesterday team management had to be extremely careful with Tuqiri.

"He obviously hasn't been running a lot," he said. "So hopefully he will get the all-clear [from the surgeon], and then he'll literally hit the ground running.

"We won't pick him until he is 100 per cent."