Aus defender McGurk out of CWG due to injury

Defending champions Australia will be without their key defender Kobie McGurk in next month’s Commonwealth Games in Delhi with a stress fracture ruling her out of the event, Hockey Australia said on Friday. The loss of the experienced McGurk is particularly severe for the Delhi-bound Australian hockey team as it was already without fellow defenders Teneal Attard and Kim Walker.

Attard suffered an ACL injury while defensive veteran Walker retired from international hockey.

McGurk will be replaced in the Australian squad by 18-year-old Anna Flanagan. Flanagan made her international debut in 2010 and has played 13 international matches.

Australia beat India 1-0 to win the gold medal at the 2006 Melbourne Games.