Rising Australian rugby star and PNG Chiefs target Treyvon Pritchard faces surgery and months on the sidelines after breaking his right leg and suffering a syndesmosis injury while playing for the Junior Wallabies against Wales on Sunday night (AEST).

A hip-drop type tackle during the 38-36 loss in the Junior World Championship will force the in-demand 19-year-old into a lengthy rehabilitation process.

Hip-drop tackles are banned in the NRL and the NFL, but not in rugby. Wales halfback Sion Davies was not penalised by Irish referee Robbie Jenkinson for the tackle. Pritchard was heard screaming in agony on the ground after the incident and was helped from the field.

Pritchard is recovering with the team in Georgia and will fly back to Australia for surgery on Thursday.

Referees can utilise World Rugby’s law 9.13 at their discretion, which states, “a player must not tackle an opponent early, late or dangerously”. New Zealand Rugby has explicitly encouraged referees to use this law in the community game when hip-drop tackles are used.

In July 2020, the NRL sent a memo to clubs warning about injuries that had been sustained in hip-drop tackles. The NFL banned the action two years ago.

Typically, recovery times for syndesmosis injuries range from six to 12 weeks for mild to moderate strains. But, for ligament ruptures that require surgical repair, it can take between three and six months. Pritchard’s broken right fibula is likely to add further time to his recovery.

Pritchard has enjoyed a breakout season in senior rugby, playing 12 times for the Queensland Reds in Super Rugby and was the headline name in coach Chris Whitaker’s Australia under-20s squad.

Pritchard underlined his class with two tries in the tournament, against Fiji and France, and is in discussions with Rugby Australia to extend his contract beyond the end of 2027.

Brumbies fullback Chayse Geros suffered the same injury as Pritchard, playing for Australia’s under-20s in the second game of the tournament against Spain.

In March 2025, Wallabies star Max Jorgensen was at risk of missing matches against the British and Irish Lions after a hip-drop style tackle against the Hurricanes left him with a syndesmosis injury.

Jorgensen had surgery and recovered ahead of schedule to play against Fiji in July and in all three Lions Tests in Australia.

The Australian under-20s started their campaign in Georgia with three wins, against Argentina, Spain and Fiji, before losing to France 34-29.

Against Wales, Australia lost three other players to injury in the first 15 minutes of the game, with William Ross, Lehopoame Leota and Marshall Le Maitre all leaving the field. Breakaway Le Maitre returned to play after passing a head injury assessment.

Tom Farr-Jones, the nephew of Wallabies World Cup-winning captain Nick, replaced Pritchard and scored two tries to help give Australia a 17-14 advantage at the half-time break.

However, Wales responded strongly in the second half and held on for victory, leaving Australia to face Argentina in a play-off for seventh place on Saturday in Georgia.

Stan Sport is the only place to watch every match of the Nations Championship live and on demand. Wallabies matches are also available live on Nine and 9Now.