Casualty Ward Aotearoa Rd 9, AU Rd 6
Casualty Ward Aotearoa Rd 9, AU Rd 6
The rate of breakdown of the NZ players as near the finish of Super Rugby Aotearoa is intense. Luckily the Casualty Ward is your one-stop shop for all injury news, with the added insights of our team's Physiotherapist and Podiatrist.
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Returned from injury (Aotearoa Rd 9 & AU Rd 6):
Luke Jacobson (Chiefs) - Returned in the 6 jersey having recovered from a broken hand.
Ngatungane Punivai (Highlanders) – Recovered from his concussion to take up a spot on the bench.
Peter Umaga-Jensen (Hurricanes) - Recovered from his concussion two weeks ago to star at outside centre.
Tyrel Lomax (Hurricanes) - Returned from injury having missed last week.
Dane Coles (Hurricanes) – Didn't travel with the squad for rd 7 due to a minor back injury, looked at full tilt this week.
Kane Le’aupepe (Hurricanes) – Had hip surgery in mid December to repair a torn labrum and remove a CAM impingement. Came back via the bench this week.
Braydon Ennor (Crusaders) – Returned this week from a foot/toe injury from rd 6.
Joe Moody (Crusaders) - Missed rd 8 with a family bereavement, didn't last long until picking up an injury.
Whetukamokamo Douglas (Crusaders) - Unexpectedly back from his MCL injury.
James Tuttle (Rebels) – Ruptured his Achilles twice! Finally made his comeback off the bench this week.
Campbell Magnay (Rebels) - Returned to outside centre having recovered from his mystery injury.
Lalakai Foketi (Waratahs) – Started at outside centre for his first run after struggling with a torn hamstring earlier in the season.
Angus Bell (Waratah)– Recovered from his back injury to come back via the bench.
Ryan Lonergan (Brumbies) – Back from his ankle injury to take a spot on the bench.
Likely back this week (Aotearoa Rd 10 & AU Rd 7):
Ian Prior (Western Force) – Was meant to make his comeback from a shoulder injury he sustained two weeks earlier, but was pulled pregame. Expected to start this week. Source.
Rob Simmons (Waratahs) - Was given every chance to play after breaking a rib two weeks ago but didn't quite recover in time. Source.
New Injuries (Aotearoa Rd 9 AU Rd 6):
Sam Cane (Chiefs) - Came off with what looked like a knock, ended up being a concussion. Source.
Kini Naholo (Chiefs) - Didn't last long before he left the field with a leg injury.
Joe Moody (Crusaders) - Came off after 14 minutes with a neck injury and won't play this weekend. Source.
Oli Jager (Crusaders) - Came off with an ugly hit to the head. Looked like a concussion but they treated it like a neck injury. Won't play next week. Source.
Richie Mo’unga (Crusaders) - May miss the game due to the expected birth of his first child within the next week. Source.
Kobus van Wyk (Hurricanes) - Had his yellow card tackle on weber upgraded to on report. Will face the judiciary this week. Source.
Jordan Petaia (Reds) - Didn't play this week following his father's passing but has said he will play this week on the wing. Source.
Jock Campbell (Reds) - Took a heavy knock early and came off about 10 minutes later. Apparently cleared for this weekend. Source.
Alex Mafi (Reds) - Suffered a concussion in the 2nd half so will go through HIA protocols.
Tom Ross (Brumbies) - Got knocked out badly so will go through the HIA protocols this week.
Scott Sio (Brumbies) - Limped off for a regular sub, may have succumbed to an injury. Source.
Rob Valetini (Brumbies) - Ended up being subbed for Will Miller after limping around the field for some time. We doubt that it was a planned sub.
Rob Leota (Rebels) - Was helped from the field with a leg injury. Source.
Jordan Uelese (Rebels) - Came off after a head knock so will go through the concussion protocols.
Ongoing Injury List:
NEW ZEALAND
Highlanders
Nehe Milner-Skudder – Hasn’t played rugby in 18 months after consecutive shoulder injuries. Tweaked his MCL before rd 9 but was hopefully of playing club rugby regardless. That would see him a chance to play in the final round of SR Aotearoa. 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.
Aidan Ross – Came off with a calf tear in rd 6. Didn't play in rd 7. Source.
Reuben O'Neill - Came off with a hamstring injury and didn't play in rd 9. Source.
Ryan Coxon - Out with an injury to his thumb.
Tiaan Falcon - Suffered an injury to his knee.
Hurricanes
Vaea Fifita - Pulled from the starting side pre-game in rd 7, no more info at this stage. Source.
Isaia Walker-Leawere - Pulled from the starting side pre-game in rd 7, not sure of what he has done. Source.
Crusaders
Manasa Mataele - Still in the process of returning from a knee injury as of rd 8. 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.
Hoskins Sotutu – Suffered a knee injury which ruled him out of rd 6 and rd 7. No word on a return date yet but there is some language suggesting he might be back soon. Source.
Daniel Carter – Strained his calf in training the Thursday before rd 6. Looks like his only chance to play would be against the Crusaders in rd 9. Source.
James Parsons – Still on the comeback trail from a concussion in Rd 5. Source.
AUSTRALIA
Western Force
Greg Holmes – Broke his thumb in rd 6. It is unclear exactly how long he will be sidelined. Source.
Tevin Ferris - Stretchered off early in rd 5 but cleared of a serious neck injury. Won't play in rd 7. Source.
Henry Taefu - Failed his HIA in rd 5 so will go through the concussion protocol.
Brumbies
Toni Pulu – Had shoulder surgery early March, still wasn’t back training in mid-May, so he is 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 during the shutdown. Source.
Noah Lolesio – Tore his hamstring in rd 3. The results suggest he is out for 8 weeks, giving him a target of playing in a grand final. Source.
Reds
Moses Sorovi – Seen limping around on crutches during rd 4. Still injured in mid-March. Source.
Harry Hoopert - Sidelined for four or five weeks with an MCL (knee) injury suffered against the Force in Round Three. Source.
Chris Feauai-Sautia - Came off with a calf tear in rd 5, was at long odds to play rd 9, no more info since then. Source.
Rebels
Anaru Rangi – Could miss the full season with “a personal health issue”. Source.
Tom English – Was meant to be playing in Japan, training with the squad but can’t be selected unless his trip is canceled. Source.
Semisi Tupou – Suffered an ACL injury in the preseason, a slight chance to come back before the end of the season. Source.
Dane Haylett-Petty - Out for at least 5 weeks after picking up a knee injury in rd 4. Source.
Waratahs
Nil
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, opening 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. The 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.
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.
Atu Moli (Chiefs) – Had FAI (hip impingement) surgery on both hips to treat chronic hip dysfunction. He 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.
Solomon Alaimalo (Chiefs) - Dislocated his shoulder after scoring a try and won't take part in the rest of SR Aotearoa. 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.
Ethan Blackadder (Crusaders) – Now had a meniscus clean up in his knee after being scratched from rd 4. Gone for the season. Source.
Cullen Grace (Crusaders) – Ruled out of action for 6-8 weeks with a Bennett’s fracture (fractured thumb) that requires an operation in rd 3. Gone for the season. Source.
David Havili (Crusaders) – Suffered a Bennett’s fracture in his thumb and will miss the rest of the Super Rugby season. Source.
Gareth Evans (Hurricanes) – Now ruled out for the full SR Aotearoa season. We suspect from his ankle injury. Source.
Fraser Armstrong (Hurricanes) - Broke his arm and won't play again in SR Aotearoa. Source.
Ngani Laumape (Hurricanes) - Came off with a broken wrist. Having surgery on the 30th of July and aiming for a return in mid-November. 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 employment on his farm in Queensland and isn’t back training with the squad. Source.
Carlo Tizzano (West Harbour), Joe Cotton (Southern Districts), Triston Reilly (Randwick), Henry Robertson (Sydney Uni), as well as sevens player Angus Bell (Sydney Uni) (Waratahs) - All released to play club rugby for the remainder of the season. 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.
Ryan Louwrens (Rebels) - Has had an operation on his ruptured bicep and will miss the rest of the season. Source.
Have we missed something? Drop a comment or tweet and let us know.
Written by your local rugby nerd Harrison Dale.