Casualty Ward Super Rugby AU Semi-final & Aotearoa Rd 10
Casualty Ward Super Rugby AU Semi-final & Aotearoa Rd 10
Super Rugby AU & Aotearoa are both 1 game from done, but the Casualty Ward pushes on! The Casualty Ward is here to keep you up to date with all your injury news across Super Rugby. 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 Semi-final & Aotearoa Rd 10):
Tom Robinson (Blues) - Made his comeback from concussion.
Sam Gilbert (Highlanders) – Made his comeback from an ACL reconstruction.
Nehe Milner-Skudder (Highlanders) - Made his long-awaited return at fullback.
Pete Samu (Brumbies) - Returned from a neck or shoulder problem only to injure his knee.
Allan Alaalatoa (Brumbies) - Didn't seem to have any problems with his wrist injury.
Likely back this week (AU & Aotearoa Final):
Luke Jacobson (Chiefs) - Missed rd 9 as a precaution after waking up midweek feeling groggy, then the entire team was rested last week. They called it possible "concussion symptoms", and were keen to give him a rest anyway. We expect him to be back. Source.
Chase Tiatia (Chiefs) - Fit for selection having recovered from his illness. Source.
Braydon Ennor (Crusaders) - Playing club rugby in rd 9 & 10 as he neared a return, so could play this week. Source.
New Injuries (AU semi-final, Aotearoa Rd 10):
Sean Wainui (Chiefs) - Came off with a hamstring injury and is touch and go for this week. Source.
Samipeni Finau (Chiefs) - Came off after twisting himself awkwardly chasing a ball. Touch and go for this week. Source.
Alex Nankivell (Chiefs) - Broke his finger but is still likely to play. Source.
Viliami Taulani (Chiefs) - Came off after 51 minutes with a stinger to his shoulder. Source.
Marino Mikaele-Tu'u (Highlanders) - Was ruled out for the rest of the season with a stress fracture in his leg. Source.
Ngantungane Punivai (Highlanders) - Missed rd 10 with a "bleed in his quad,” (this sounds like a cork or a low grade tear). Hopefully back for Trans Tasman. Source.
Josh Ioane (Highlanders) - Scratched late with a "lower leg injury”. In a race to be fit for rd 1 of Trans Tasman on May 14. Source.
Toni Pulu (Western Force) - Red carded for a shoulder charge to the head. Will face the judiciary this week.
Pete Samu (Brumbies) - Suffered a knee injury and looked to be in a lot of pain.
James Slipper (Brumbies) - Reinjured his MCL. No word yet on his availability for next week.
Folau Fainga'a (Brumbies) - Came off with a shoulder injury.
Ongoing Injury List:
AUSTRALIA
Western Force
Jake McIntyre - Came off early with a hamstring injury in rd 6. Source.
Byron Ralston - Taken from the field on a stretcher after being knocked out making a tackle in rd 8. Going through concussion protocols. Source.
Tomas Lezana - Missed rd 8 with a foot injury. No word on the severity. Source.
Rob Kearney - Ruled out of rd 9 late with a quad strain.
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.
Jahrome Brown - Came off with a shoulder injury in rd 6 apparently his season is all but over. Source.
Tom Cusack - Suffered a hamstring injury in rd 8. Source.
James Tucker - Came off with a rib injury in rd 9 that puts him in doubt for Super Rugby AU. The signing of Stowers suggests he is done for the year. Source.
Reds
Suliasi Vunivalu - Tore his hamstring in rd 6, was aiming to return for the last round game against the Force. Source. He will face court on May 10 for his preseason scuffle that may or may not affect his availability. Source.
Hunter Paisami - Fractured his cheek and will miss roughly 4 weeks. Means he could be back for rd 3 of Trans Tasman at the earliest. Source.
Rebels
Emosi Tuqiri - Out with a lower-body injury. Source.
Kailea Isaac Aedo - Suffered a shoulder injury. Not sure what he has done.
Reece Hodge - Had his knee hyperextended by Anstee in rd 8. Tore his MCL and expected to be out for 10-12 weeks. Source.
Trevor Hosea - Ruled out for 2 games after being cited for "foul play in a ruck" in rd 9. Should be back for rd 1 or 2 of Trans Tasman depending on if they make finals. Source.
Dane Haylett-Petty - Played Queensland club rugby during the Super Rugby AU semi-finals on his comeback from a long term concussion. Source.
Isi Naisarani - Given a 3-week ban for his red card in rd 9. He will be back for Trans Tasman rd 2.
Pone Fa'amausili - Given a 3-week ban for his red card in rd 9. He will be back for Trans Tasman rd 2.
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.
Sam Wykes - Suffered an elbow/ bicep injury in rd 6. Not sure of the severity but it looked sore! Source.
Will Harrison - Suffered a hamstring tear against the Brumbies in rd 8 and is out for 3-6 weeks. He'll miss Super Rugby AU but should play in the Trans Tasman. Source.
Hugh Sinclair - Was unavailable for club rugby during the Super rugby finals due to an injury. Source.
NEW ZEALAND
Toni Brown has let out that there is no set plan to rest All Blacks this year - Source.
Highlanders
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.
Pari Pari Parkinson - Flaired up the ankle he had an operation on last year in rd 7. Targeting a Trans Tasman rd 1 return. 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.
Quinn Tupaea - Ruptured his MCL (knee) in rd 7. He will be out for up to 8 weeks. Source.
Solomon Alaimalo - As of rd 6 he is not training with the squad as he deals with some personal issues. 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.
Ardie Savea - Damaged his MCL in rd 6 and is said to be out for 6-8 weeks. Source.
Jonathan Taumateine - Was a late scratching off the bench for the Hurricanes after rolling his ankle on Friday before rd 7. Source.
Crusaders
Joe Moody - Apparently out for 4-5 months with an injury to his plantarfascia. Source.
Blues
Ray Niuia – Had a knee injury that cost him his 2020 season. Still struggling with a knee injury this year. 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.
Alex Hodgman - Copped a red card for a high tackle. He has been banned for 3 weeks so won't play any more Super Rugby Aotearoa. If they don't make the final then he will also miss rd 1 of SR Trans Tasman. Source.
Patrick Tuipulotu - Suffered a shoulder injury in rd 5 and missed the rest of Aotearoa. We expect him to be back for Trans Tasman. Source.
Dalton Papalii - Suffered a knee injury in rd 9 and missed the final round of Aotearoa. 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.
Jack Goodhue (Crusaders) - Has torn his ACL, PCL and MCL against the Hurricanes and won't play rugby again in 2021 as he goes under the knife. 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.
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.
Connor Garden-Bachop (Highlanders) - Broke his wrist and is out for the rest of the season. Source.
Liam Squire (Highlanders) - Has flared up his knee injury and is out for the season. 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.
Sam Cane (Chiefs) - Ruptured his pec tendon in rd 4, had surgery and is gone for six months. Source.
Kaylum Boshier (Chiefs) - Dislocated his shoulder in rd 9 and will have a reconstruction operation. Out for 6 months. Source.
Mitchell Karpik (Chiefs) - Suffered a knee injury and is having an arthroscopy (surgery) which will rule him out for 2-3 months. We suspect it would be a meniscus injury given the time frame. Source.
Simon Parker (Chiefs) - Had surgery on April 15th for a plantar plate repair (under his big toe), is expected to be out for 6 months. 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.