Casualty Ward Aotearoa Rd 5, AU Rd 2
Casualty Ward Aotearoa Rd 5, AU Rd 2
With Super Rugby Aotearoa and AU in full swing, the Casualty Ward is working over time so that we stay your one stop shop for all injury news, with the added insights of our teams Physiotherapist and Podiatrist.
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Returned from injury (Aotearoa Rd 5 & AU Rd 2):
Karl Tu’inukuafe (Blues) – Returned from a hamstring injury off the bench having played club rugby the week prior.
Blake Gibson (Blues) – Took a head knock and injured his hamstring in rd 1. Came back from the bench this week.
Karmichael Hunt (Waratahs) – Back off the bench after missing round 1 with a torn hamstring. Immediately made a big impact and will surely start next week. Source.
Likely back this week (Aotearoa Rd 6 & AU Rd 3):
Dane Coles (Hurricanes) - Suffered a minor calf injury in the victory over the Chiefs in rd 4, still to early to stay if he will play in rd 6 or not. Source.
Reed Prinsep (Hurricanes) - Suffered a minor hamstring injury in rd 4. Might be okay for rd 6. Source.
Gareth Evans (Hurricanes) - Missed rd 5 with a minor ankle injury. Might be okay for rd 6. Source.
Fraser Armstrong (Hurricanes) - Suffered a minor knee injury in the victory over the Chiefs in rd 4. Source. Might be okay for rd 6. Source.
Jonah Lowe (Hurricanes) – Playing club footy again after recovering from a shoulder injury. Available for selection but unlikely to get a run. Source.
Josh Ioane (Highlanders) – Tore a muscle in his groin in training late before rd 1, available again this week. Source.
Anton Lienert-Brown (Chiefs) – Missed rd 4 after developing concussion symptoms, available this week. Source.
Mitch Karpik (Chiefs) – Concussed in rd 3, available this week. Source.
Tom Banks (Brumbies) – Managing a foot problem, was expected to play rd 1 but was held back so should play after the round 2 bye.
Ryan Lonergan (Brumbies) - Missed rd 1 with an ankle injury, a chance for rd 3. Source.
Solomone Kata (Brumbies) - Missed rd 1 with a hamstring injury, a chance for rd 3. Source.
Tom Robertson (Waratahs) – Due to make his SR AU debut having missed the first 2 rounds battling a back injury from back in March. Source.
New Injuries (Aotearoa Rd 5 AU Rd 2 ):
James Parsons (Blues) - Failed his HIA after a 26th minute head clash.
Dillon Hunt (Highlanders) - Poked in the eye and then failed an HIA. Apparently he is likely to be fit for this week. Source.
Kayne Hammington (Highlanders) - Fractured a bone in his hand late in the match against the Hurricanes and will miss the remainder of the campaign. Source.
Ngatungane Punivai (Highlanders) - Still going through concussion protocols, so won’t be available to play the Chiefs in rd 6. Source.
Matt Gibbon (Rebels) - Shoulder? Off after 29mins. May have discocated his shoulder?
Marika Koroibete (Rebels) - Knocked out and failed his HIA from a coat hanger by Hunter Paisami.
Angus Blyth (Reds) - Subbed at half time for a shoulder injury, won't be available for Rd 3. Source.
New Players
Geoff Cridge (Highlanders) - The 25 year old, 1 game Hurricanes lock has been signed as an injury replacement for Josh Dickson. Source.
Richard Kahui (Western Force) - The 35 year old centre has signed for the Force and intends on pushing for a starting spot. Source.
Ongoing Injury List:
NEW ZEALAND
Highlanders
Nehe Milner-Skudder (Highlanders) – Hasn’t played rugby in 18 months after consecutive shoulder injuries. Return date keeps being pushed back and he is now targetting rd 8. Source.
Chiefs
Nathan Harris – Had a rotator cuff (shoulder muscle) repair on the 15th of January. Out for at least six months and was set to miss all of Super Rugby. A chance to get a run during this season but we haven’t heard anything. Source.
Angus Ta’avou – Had an operation to repair his quad tendon. Is a chance to play the second half of the season. Source.
Naitoa Ah Kuoi – Was stretchered off after an ugly head clash, won't play in rd 6. Source.
Hurricanes
Kane Le’aupepe – Has had hip surgery in mid december to repair a torn labrum and remove a CAM impingement. He will be out for 5-6 months. It is worth noting that these injuries vary massively with return to sport time, it could really be 4-9 months! Source.
Crusaders
Cullen Grace – Ruled out of action for the foreseeable future with a fractured thumb that requires an operation in rd 3. Source.
Ethan Blackadder – Was a late scratching from rd 4 with a knee injury. Razor said "There’s something floating in his knee and it locked up a couple of times, so the surgeon will have a look at it". My guess is that he will have a clean out operation and miss at least a couple of weeks. Source.
Blues
Tom Robinson – Had a meniscal tear cleaned up in his knee after rd 1. Recovery said to be 6-8 weeks, they are targeting 5-6. Generally it varies from 1-12 weeks so it is hard to guess from the outside. Source.
AUSTRALIA
Western Force
Get to know the squad here.
Brumbies
Toni Pulu – Had shoulder surgery early March, still wasn’t back training in mid May so unlikely to play anytime soon. Source.
Cadeyrn Neville – Expected to miss the first 2-3 weeks of the relaunched Super Rugby season after having ankle surgery in during the shutdown. Source.
Nick Frost – Is expected to miss round 1, no details on his injury. Source.
Reds
Moses Sorovi – Seen limping around on crutches during rd 4. Still injured in mid March. Source.
Jordan Petaia – Dislocated his shoulder after round 2, has had shoulder surgery so would be back in August at the earliest.
Rebels
James Tuttle – Ruptured his Achilles twice! First in October 2018, and again five months into his rehab. Was aiming to play a few weeks into the regular season, so hopefully will be competing for a spot in SR AU. Source.
Isi Naisarani – Aiming to return in rd 4 from his hamstring injury. Source.
Anaru Rangi – Could miss the full season with "a personal health issue". Source.
Brad Wilkin - Still coming back from an ACL reconstruction, was back doing full fitness before rd 1 SR AU. Source.
Tom English - Was meant to be playing in Japan, training with the squad but can't be selected unless his trip is cancelled. Source.
Semisi Tupou - Suffered an ACL injury in preseason, a slight chance to come back before the end of the season. Source.
Waratahs
Jake Gordon – Missed at least the first three rounds with a torn hamstring. Source.
Lalakai Foketi – Missed round 1 with a torn hamstring. Source.
Gone for the season:
Baden Wardlaw (Blues) – Forced to retire before the season due to a chronic neck fusion. Source.
Ray Niuia (Blues) – Has a knee injury that will cost him his season. Source.
Tanielu Tele’a (Blues) – Had a shoulder injury after round 6 and is out for the season. Source.
Stephen Perofeta (Blues) – Has been ruled out for the season, openning the door for Dan Carter to sign for the Blues. No more detail on his injury yet.
Ricky Jackson (Highlanders) – The hooker will miss the entire SR campaign with an ankle injury and operation. Nathan Vella brought in to replace him. Source.
James Lentjes (Highlanders) – Fracture dislocated his ankle in rd 5, will have surgery and is gone for the season. Expected recovery is 6-9 months. Source.
Connor Garden-Bachop (Highlanders) – Had an operation on his back due to return in June but his spot in the side has been taken. Source.
Tevita Nabura (Highlanders) – Still getting over an operation on his lower back after he suffered an injury at training just before Christmas, was expected back in April but his spot has been taken. Source.
Sam Gilbert (Highlanders) – Tore his ACL in rd 3 and will miss 9 months. Source.
Josh Dickson (Highlanders) – Has broken a bone in his lower leg in Aotearoa Rd 5 and will miss the remainder of the season. He is expected to be out for four months, so we expect he had to have it operated on. Source.
Atu Moli (Chiefs) – Had FAI (hip impingement) surgery on both hips to treat chronic hip dysfunction. Will miss the entire season. Source.
Michael Allardice (Chiefs) – Gone for the season having undergone surgery for a shoulder reconstruction . Source.
Laghlan McWhannell (Chiefs) – Gone for the season having gone under the knife to have a patellar tendon debridement (this is not a good sign for such a young player). Source.
Sam McNicol (Chiefs) – Gone for the season after ankle surgery to correct his anterior impingement and clean up his joint surfaces. Source.
Luke Jacobson (Chiefs) – Fractured his hand against the Blues. The recovery time for the injury is 5 to 6 weeks but the Chiefs are taking a cautious approach and don’t expect him to play this season. Source.
Tyler Ardron (Chiefs) – Will now leave the squad to start his contract with Castres. Source.
Scott Barrett (Crusaders) – Tore his plantar fascia in the intrasquad trial. Had surgery on the 25th of June and will miss the full Super Rugby season. There is no definite return time as the research is pretty limited, my expectation is roughly 6 months, but it could be double that. Source.
Les Leulua’iali’i-Makin (Brumbies) – ruled out of Super Rugby season after rupturing his Achilles on the 25th of January. Source.
Blake Enever (Brumbies) – Has been released by the Brumbies to return home to Brisbane immediately on compassionate grounds where he will continue his recovery from a lower leg injury. Source.Now confirmed he has signed for Leicester. Source.
Isaac Lucas (Reds) – Had his RA contract torn up after rejecting a pay cut from the Reds. Expected to sign for a Japanese rugby club. Source.
Harry Hockings (Reds) – Had his RA contract torn up after rejecting a pay cut from the Reds. Expected to sign for a Japanese rugby club. Source.
Izack Rodda (Reds) – Had his RA contract torn up after rejecting a pay cut from the Reds. Apparently he still might reverse his decision to leave. Source.
Henry Speight (Reds) – Has been released from his contract to take up a 3 year contract with Biarritz, won’t play Super Rugby AU. Source.
Damien Fitzpatrick (Waratahs) – Retired from professional rugby before the AU season started. Source.
Kurtley Beale (Waratahs) – Won’t take any part in Super Rugby AU after being released early to take up his contract with Racing 92. Source.
Mack Mason (Waratahs) – Still on contract until November but has been allowed to seek employement on his farm in Queensland and isn’t back training with the squad. Source.
Chris Alcock (Western Force) – Has just announced his retirement prior to the start of Super Rugby AU. Source.
Luke Jones (Rebels) – Released early to play overseas and won’t play in Super Rugby AU.
Have we missed something? Drop a comment or tweet and let us know.
Written by your local rugby nerd Harrison Dale.