Casualty Ward Super Rugby AU Rd 7 & Aotearoa Rd 6
Casualty Ward Super Rugby AU Rd 7 & Aotearoa Rd 6
The Casualty Ward is here to keep you up to date with all your injury news across Super Rugby AU and Aotearoa. We stay on top of all the latest news, with the added insights of our team's Physiotherapist and Podiatrist.
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Returned from injury (AU Rd 7 & Aotearoa Rd 6):
Jona Nareki (Highlanders) - Has a hip pointer injury (bruised pelvis) from rd 3. Was originally a chance to play last week, but didn't recover well enough. Source.
George Bridge (Crusaders) - Fit again after having his pec muscle repaired last year. Has already played some minutes for the development side. Source.
Feao Fotuaika (Reds) - Picked up a red card for cleaning a man with his shoulder to the head in rd 2. He has been banned for 3 weeks so was back in the mix last week for rd 6.
Tom Wright (Brumbies) - Suffered bone bruising during training in the first week of February. Was expected to miss at least the first six weeks of Super Rugby AU. A chance to return this week. Source.
Bayley Kuenzle (Brumbies) - Apparently he was injured and could be back this week. Source.
Tom Cusack (Brumbies) - Returned from a collar bone injury to start at openside.
Jake Gordon (Waratahs) - Suffered a syndesmosis (high ankle) sprain in rd 1. Likely to return this week. Source.
Jeral Skelton (Rebels) - Returned after having a plate inserted in a minor leg fracture.
Lewis Holland (Rebels) - Got his first run of the season off the bench having returned from injury.
Likely back this week (AU rd 8, Aotearoa rd 7):
Asafo Aumua (Hurricanes) - Damaged his AC joint in his shoulder in round 2. Missed rd 5 and was still at least a week away. Source.
Josh Ioane (Highlanders) - Is available again after being stood down for disciplinary reasons last week. Source.
Sione Misiloi (Highlanders) - Is available again after being stood down for disciplinary reasons last week. Source.
Daniel Lienert-Brown (Highlanders) - Is available again after being stood down for disciplinary reasons last week. Source.
Marino Mikaele-Tu’u (Highlanders) - Is available again after being stood down for disciplinary reasons last week. Source.
Teariki Ben-Nicholas (Highlanders) - Is available again after being stood down for disciplinary reasons last week. Source.
Sio Tomkinson (Highlanders) - Is available again after being stood down for disciplinary reasons last week. Source.
Tupou Vaai (Chiefs) - Returning from a rd 4 concussion. Source.
Lachlan Boshier (Chiefs) - Hasn't played this season due to a minor foot injury. Coming back via club rugby this week. Source.
Etene Nanai-Seturo (Chiefs) - Due to return from a rd 5 hamstring injury. Source.
Josh Lord (Chiefs) - Back from a shoulder injury. Source.
Jonah Lowe (Chiefs) - Was unwell since rd 5, back in the mix this week. Source.
Bailyn Sullivan (Chiefs) - Back fit for this week. Source.
Sione Mafileo (Chiefs) - Fit again having recovered from a back injury. Source.
Solomone Kata (Brumbies) - Apparently he was injured again and could be back this week. Source.
Allan Alaalatoa (Brumbies) - Red carded for taking Pone's head off. Banned for 3 weeks. Back in rd 8. Source.
Scott Sio (Brumbies) - Came off with a nasty looking elbow injury in rd 4. Expected back this week. Source.
Will Miller (Brumbies) - Has been signed as injury cover for Jahrome Brown. Source.
Liam Wright (Reds) - Back from a preseason syndesmosis injury to return via the bench. Source.
Andrew Ready (Western Force) - Copped a red card for punching someone in the head. Banned for 3 weeks. Means he will be back for round 8.
Richard Kahui (Western Force) - Limped off for an HIA and failed in rd 5. Will go through concussion protocols. Named to return off the bench.
Kyle Godwin (Western Force) - Pulled pregame rd 1 with an ankle injury on Wednesday. Named to return as captai this week.
Jeremy Thrush (Western Force) - Was a late withdrawal with an ankle injury in rd 6. Source.
Ross Haylett-Petty (Rebels) - Copped a three week ban following his red card in rd 4. So should be available again this week.
New Injuries (AU Rd 7, Aotearoa Rd 6):
Sam Cane (Chiefs) - Ruptured his pec tendon in rd 4, had surgery and is gone for six months. Source.
Freedom Vahaakolo (Highlanders) - Broke his left foot in training during the week and is out for the season. Source.
Thomas Umaga-Jenson (Highlanders) - Out for the season after breaking his arm in rd 6. Expected to recover in 12 weeks. Source.
Folau Fakatava (Highlanders) - Ruptured his ACL and he will be gone for the season. Source.
Sean Wainui (Chiefs) - Missing rd 6 with an ankle injury. Source.
Chase Tiatia (Chiefs) - Missing rd 6 due to illness. Source.
Tom Horton (Waratahs) - Came off injured in the second half, no more news yet.
James O'Connor (Reds) - Was seen icing his ankle on the sideline for the second week running. We assume it is nothing serious.
Ongoing Injury List:
AUSTRALIA
Western Force
Toni Pulu - Has a low-grade ankle injury. We think he will miss 1-2 weeks. Source.
Rob Kearney - We heard murmurs that he is injured before he missed rd 6. Source.
Jake McIntyre - Came off early with a hamstring injury in rd 6. Source.
Greg Holmes - Came off with what looked like a rib injury after a scrum in the first half.
Brumbies
Connal McInerney - Came off with a bad ankle injury in rd 3. Has apparently fractured his fibula (and probably damaged his syndesmosis). Is expected to be out for an extended period. Source.
Tom Ross - Came off with a knee injury in rd 4.
Jahrome Brown - Came off with a shoulder injury in rd 6 apparently his season is all but over. Source.
Reds
Suliasi Vunivalu - Tore his hamstring in rd 6, is expected to be out two to four weeks which means he may only be back for the AU grand final. Source.
Rebels
Dane Haylett-Petty - Still out with ongoing concussion symptoms since the test season last year. Source.
Cameron Orr - Out with a hamstring injury. Not sure of its severity. Source.
Campbell Magnay - Missed rd 2 due to a quad strain, the reports inferred he wasn't far away but that isn't confirmed. Source.
Emosi Tuqiri - Out with a lower-body injury. Source.
Isi Naisarani - Was expected to miss at least the Reds game (rd 2) after knee arthroscopy (clean up) showed far more extensive damage than was anticipated. He is fit but still building his quad strength. Source.
Kailea Isaac Aedo - Suffered a shoulder injury. Not sure what he has done.
Waratahs
Robbie Abel - Has an ankle injury and isn't back training two weeks out from round 1. Source.
Joey Walton - Limped off with an ankle injury in rd 1. Could miss up to three months so we might not see him again this season. Source.
Jack Dempsey - Suffered a stress fracture in his foot after the game in rd 5 and won't play rd 6. These things often take 4-6 weeks at least to heal. It will be interesting to see how quickly they push him back in. Source.
Lachlan Swinton - Suffered an ankle injury in rd 5. Expected to play rd 9. Source.
Sam Wykes - Suffered an elbow/ bicep injury in rd 6. Not sure of the severity but it looked sore! Source.
Sam Caird - Had a concussion in rd 6, didn't have long enough to be cleared for rd 7. Likely to play after the bye.
NEW ZEALAND
Toni Brown has let out that there is no set plan to rest All Blacks this year - Source.
Highlanders
Sam Gilbert – Tore his ACL in rd 3 and will miss 9 months. Due back around April. Playing 20-30min with his club side in rd 7 as he nears a return. Source.
Daniel Lienert-Brown - Came off with a bad-looking shoulder injury. He has fractured his arm and will be back around the end of April. Source.
Chiefs
Atu Moli – Had FAI (hip impingement) surgery on both hips to treat chronic hip dysfunction. Missed the entire 2020 season. Still on the road to recovery as of rd 2 2021. Source.
Laghlan McWhannell - Currently has a knee injury which we assume is still the patella tendon debridement from last year. Word is that he has had further surgery. Missed all of 2020 and now has had an injury replacement brought in so we assume he is out for some time. Source.
Nathan Harris - Has a long-term plan to get back in genuine contention for the match-day squad is in place after a long stint on the sideline. Source.
Solomon Alaimalo - As of rd 6 he is not training with the squad as he deals with some personal issues. Source.
Nehe Milner-Skudder - As of rd 5 they said he wasn't fully ready for a Super Rugby return following his well-documented shoulder injury. Source.
Mitch Karpik - Was fit again for rd 6 but fell ill. Should return next week. Source.
Hurricanes
Jamie Booth - Tore his MCL and PCL in his knee, plus fractured his tibial plateau (surface of his knee joint). Had an operation in October. I'd suspect he is about six months (April) to return as a minimum but Holland has said he could even miss the entire season. Source.
Vaea Fifita - Missed rd 2 with a concussion. No word on his return.
Crusaders
Braydon Ennor - Tore his ACL in the North V South game and is not due back until after SR Aotearoa. Source.
Tom Sanders - Fractured his cheek in the intrasquad match (Feb 6th we think), ruled out for 8-10 weeks. This would mean a rd 6 return at the earliest. Source.
Blues
Ray Niuia – Had a knee injury that cost him his 2020 season. Still struggling with a knee injury this year. Source.
Soane Vikena - The NZ U20s hooker will miss the season with a shoulder injury from back in November. Source.
Dillon Hunt - Listed as injured before the last preseason game. Apparently out with a long-term concussion. Source.
Josiah Maraku - Listed as injured before the last preseason game. No other details yet. Source.
Kurt Eklund - Cited for his tip tackle on Sevu Reece in rd 4 and given a three week ban. He will return in rd 9 after their bye. Source.
Patrick Tuipulotu - Suffered a shoulder injury in rd 5 and didn't recover in time to play rd 6. We suspect he will be back after the bye. Source.
Gone for the season:
Andrew Makalio (Crusaders) - has been ruled out of the 2021 Super Rugby season due to a neck injury. Source.
Tom Christie (Crusaders) - Dislocated his shoulder in rd 3 and will have surgery. He won't play again this year. Return to sport is roughly 6 months. Source.
Jermaine Ainsley (Highlanders) - Ruled out for the majority of SR Aotearoa due to a high ankle sprain sustained the week before the first trial. Source.
Fetuli Paea (Highlanders) - Ruled out of the rest of the season after injuring his ankle in the last preseason trial. Source.
Simon Hickey (Hurricanes) - Tore his ACL in preseason and will miss the entire 2021 season. Orbyn Leger is likely to get a full contract as injury cover. Source.
Jackson Garden-Bachop (Hurricanes) - Had surgery on his achilles tear, ruling him out for up to 9 months. Source.
James Parsons (Blues) - Retiring on medical advice, after being out of the game for several months from a head injury. Source.
Jone Macalai (Blues) - Listed as injured before the last preseason game. apparently out for the year. Source.
Kini Naholo (Chiefs) - Will miss the entire 2021 Super Rugby campaign with injury.
Liam Squire (Highlanders) - Has flared up his knee injury and is out for the season. Source.
Julian Montoya (Western Force) - Couldn't get a visa for his wife so is no longer join the Force. He is joining Leicester Tigers instead. Source.
Rhys van Nek (Rebels) - The young prop is out for the season with a hamstring injury. Source.
Have we missed something? Drop a comment or tweet and let us know.
Written by your local rugby nerd Harrison Dale.