Casualty Ward Super Rugby Pacific Rounds 4-5

The regular season Casualty Ward will come out every week to deliver all your injury news. We stay on top of all the latest news, with the added insights of our team's Physiotherapist and Podiatrist.

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New Injuries Round 4:

Isaac Henry (Reds) - Tore his ACL and will miss the rest of the season. Source.
Len Ikitau (Brumbies) - Came off with an injury to some ligaments in his knee. Waiting on scan results but expected to miss a couple of weeks. Source.
Blake Schoupp (Brumbies) - Came off with his shoulder in a sling. Source.
Andy Muirhead (Brumbies) - Broke his nose, will most likely still be able to play this week but has to have an x-ray to rule out a fracture. Source.
Tom Hooper (Brumbies) - Copped some bruising and swelling around his eye. Most likely won’t cost him any time but they did send him for an x-ray to rule out a facial fracture. Source.
Michael Naitokani (Drua) - Was subbed at half time. No clarify on if it was an injury.
Filipo Daugunu (Rebels) - Pulled pregame, no reason as to why yet.
Max Jorgensen (Waratahs) - Out of rd 4 with a hip injury. Source.

Anton Lienert-Brown (Chiefs) - Suffered a concussion in rd 4, was taken off on a stretcher but was able to return to the sideline later in the match. Will miss 2 weeks. Source.
Ethan de Groot (Chiefs) - Came off with a concussion. Source.
Josh Ioane (Rebels) - Pulled pregame, no reason as to why yet.
Rieko Ioane (Blues) - Came off with a concussion. Source.
Dalton Papali'i (Blues) - Came off as a precaution with an ankle injury. Apparently still a chance to play this weekend. Source.
Owen Franks (Crusaders) - Was cited late and banded for 2 weeks for a high tackle. Will miss rounds 5 and 6. Source.

Likely Back for Round 5:

Dave Porecki (Waratahs) - Missed the 2nd trial after picking up an Achilles injury. Was aiming to be back by round 4 at the earliest but wasn’t named last week. Source.
Mahe Vailanu (Waratahs) - Missed last week through concussion. Source.
Hunter Paisami (Reds) - Concussed late in rd 2, was aiming to play rd 4 but wasn’t named. Source.
James O’Connor (Reds) - Suffered a hamstring injury in preseason. Made his comeback for club side Brothers in rd 4 so could be up for selection this week. Les Kiss did say in an interview though it might take one more week. Source.
Tom Lynagh (Reds) - Came off after being hit hard to the shoulder and the ribs in rd 3. Is being rested in rd 4 but apparently he is fine. Source.
Sam Spink (Force) - Tore his calf in rd 2, hoping to return in rd 5. Source.
Cabous Eloff (Rebels) - Gets his first run this year off the bench after recovering from injury. Source.
Kitione Salawa (Drua) - Injured his left shoulder in round 7 last year and had surgery in Australia. Back via the bench this week.

Pari Pari Parkinson (Highlanders) - Was expected to be fit for rd 4 after recovering from a rd 2 injury. Wasn’t selected so we assume this will be his week. Source.
Jared Proffit (Highlanders) - Red carded in rd 2 and banned for 3 weeks. Back this week after going through tackle school.
AJ Lam (Blues) - Came off with a concussion in rd 3 so should be back this week.
Emoni Narawa (Chiefs) - Injured his back on the eve of the RWC. Expected back for rd 4. Source.
Richard Judd (Hurricanes) - Injured a bicep in training on before round 1. Made his return via the bench this week.
Jordie Barrett (Hurricanes) - Red carded in rd 2 and banned for 3 weeks. Returns in rd 5 having gone through tackle school.
Brad Shields (Hurricanes) - Returns after missing the early season with plantar fasciitis. We would hope that they are well and truly ontop of the issue given they brought him back very slowly.
Patrick Tuipulotu (Blues) - Suffered a fracture to his jaw in the first trial on February 3rd. Returns to the starting side this week.

Returned in Round 4:

Dylan Pietsch (Waratahs) - Returned from an eye injury on the wing.
Lachlan Swinton (Waratahs) - Returned from a neck injury.
Cadeyrn Neville (Brumbies) - Back from a rd 2 concussion.
Jordan Petaia (Reds) - Back from a rd 2 concussion via the bench.
Pone Fa’amausili (Rebels) - Recovered from a hamstring injury but hasn’t been able to make the 23. Source.

Quinn Tupaea (Chiefs) - Back via the bench from a rd 1 concussion.
Josh Lord (Chiefs) - Back via the bench after recovering from an ankle injury.
Du’Plessis Kirifi (Hurricanes) - Returned from a rd 1 ankle injury.
Caleb Clarke (Blues) - Back after being rested last week.
Ofa Tu’ungafasi (Blues) - Back after being rested in round 3 to work on his fitness.
Sama Malolo (Moana) - Pulled pregame rd 3, back this week.

Ongoing Injury List:

AUSTRALIA

Western Force
Siosifa Amone - Dislocated his thumb in training and had surgery to repair his ligaments on Monday. 6-8-week return to play. Source.
Harry Hoopert - Sustained a ligament injury in his right knee in training a fortnight ago (as of 20th Feb). Has since undergone surgery and will miss 3-4 months. Source.
Felix Kalapu - Underwent hamstring surgery last week (mid Feb) following a tear in training. Unavailable for the first half of Super Rugby. Source.
Campbell Parata - Recovering from a hamstring injury. Source.
Papillon Sevele - Undergoing rehab in Sydney in preseason for a right ACL injury sustained playing for his club. Source.
Angus Wagner - Unavailable for the first half of Super Rugby following meniscal surgery. Source.
Reesjan Pasitoa - Dislocated his elbow in training and had surgery to repair his ligaments on Monday 19th Feb. Will require a 10-12-week recovery period. Putting his return around early May. Source.
Izack Rodda - Was meant to return from his foot osteotomy in rd 1, then tore his quad in training. Now expected to be out for 6 weeks. Source.
Marley Pearce - Was cited after rd 1 for his dangerous tackle on Jordie Barrett. Giving a 4 game ban putting his return in rd 6. Source.
Michael Wells - Out of round 4 with a knee injury. Waiting on scans to determine the severity of his injury. Source.

Brumbies
Allan Alaalatoa - Ruptured his Achilles end of July. Returns around 9 months post-op, now aiming to return late in April. Source.
Connal McInerney - Said to be out for an extended period of time before 2024 begins. Source.
Ben O'Donnell - Still a couple of weeks away from returning from a torn ACL before rd 5. Source.
Ed Kennedy - Missing the preseason with an infection. Racing the clock to be fit for round one. Source.

Reds
Massimo De Lutiis - Out of Trial 1 with a hamstring injury and still out for rd 1 of the regular season. Source.
Connor Anderson - Out of Trial 1 with an ankle injury and still out for rd 1 of the regular season. Source.
Alex Hodgman - Came off with a shoulder injury in rd 2. Likely to miss 3-4 weeks putting his return around Rd 6-7. Source.
Sef Fa’agase - Has been banned for 4 weeks in rd 3 so won’t return until round 8. Source.

Rebels
Matt Proctor - Came off injured in rd 2. Expected to take roughly a month to return after rushing back from his last injury which puts him his return roughly around rd 7. Source.
Brad Wilkin - Has a grade three hamstring tear and had surgery on the 8th of March. Likely out for 10 weeks (to the season). Source.

Waratahs
Mesu Kunavula – Knee, will be out for the season. Source.
Tom Lambert - Had surgery the week of Feb 12th after damaging his meniscus in his knee in a rolling maul. Was originally said to be a 3 month return but he is now listed as out for the year. Source.
Archer Holz - Aiming to return from a shoulder injury in round 8. Source.
Lalakai Foketi - Rushed to hospital on before rd 1 with a suspected neck injury at training. A CT scan ruled out any fractures, no announcement on his MRI results but he is now listed as out indefinitely. Source.

NEW ZEALAND
The All Blacks are on leave until early February. Although not confirmed, this may delay their entry into the SR Pacific competition.

Highlanders
Will Tucker - Injured and aiming to return in mid-April. Source.
Mitch Dunshea - Recovering from an Achilles Rupture and repair, aiming to return in April. Source.
Thomas Umaga-Jensen - Had an ACL rupture and repair mid-September. A 9-month recovery puts him back in mid-June so he is likely gone for the season. Source.
Connor McLeod - Injured his ACL around rd 2 and needs surgery. Will be out for 9-12 months. Source.
Blair Ryall - Tore his MCL after rd 2 out will be out for three months. Source.
Hugh Renton - Suffered a high ankle sprain in rd 3. Expected to be out for 6 weeks. Source.

Chiefs
Gideon Wrampling - Is a couple more weeks away (leading into rd 1) as he recovers from an elbow injury. Source.
Kaleb Trask - is still managing a long-term injury and has now been replaced in the official squad. Source.

Hurricanes
Jacob Devery - Suffered a knee injury in pre-season and didn’t fly to Australia. Source.

Crusaders
Braydon Ennor - Out for the season as he recovers from an ACL reconstruction in August. Apparently, he had an infection in his knee early post-op which has slowed his recovery. He is aiming to play in the back half of 2024. Source.
Fergus Burke - Suffered an Achilles Injury in October. They are optimistic he could return shortly after the team’s round seven bye in mid-April which would be six months. Source. Apparently close to a return before rd 4. Source.
Codie Taylor - Will miss most of Super Rugby by taking a ‘non-playing sabbatical’. They are reporting that he is expected to return a few weeks before the playoffs, but coach Penney didn’t rule out an early return. Source.
Leigh Halfpenny - Tore his pec muscle in the first trial on February 3rd that forcing him from the field in their game with Munster. Expected back in 3-4 months. Source.
Will Jordan - Will go for surgery just before the season kicks off to repair a shoulder that has been a lingering problem since last season. Will miss the entire Super Rugby season. Source.
Ethan Blackadder - Was expected to miss the first three or four games with a calf injury, now apparently he is aiming for rd 8. Source.
Brodie McAlister - Injured his knee in the last trial. Now aiming to return in rd 8. Source.
Tamaiti Williams - Has a “significant” tear in his hamstring from making a break in rd 1. No detail on how long he will be out yet, but they have ruled him out of round 2. Source.
Rivez Reihana - Came off with an AC injury in his shoulder in rd 1 after being cut in half by Finau. Source.
Manasa Mataele - Pulled pregame rd 3 and then replaced in rd 4. No news on what he did or if he is still injured. Source.
Kershawl Sykes-Martin - Pulled pregame rd 3 and not in the squad for rd 4. No news on what he did or if he is still injured. Source.
Scott Barrett - Broken his finger before round 4, out for the next six weeks. Source.

Blues
Sam Darry - Came off with a serious MCL injury in rd 2. Expected to be out for 6-8 weeks. Source.
Jordan Lay - Fractured his ankle in rd 3, had surgery and will be out for the season (3-4 months). Source.

PACIFIKA TEAMS

Fiji Drua
Caleb Muntz - Ruptured his ACL in training in September last year. A 9 month post return puts him at mid-June. Source.
Isoa Nasilasila - Came off with an ankle injury in rd 2 that is expected to keep him out for 3-4 weeks. Source.

Moana Pasifika
Miracle Fai’ilagi - Unavailable for round 2 due to injury. Source.
Alamanda Motuga - Unavailable for round 2 due to injury. Source.
James Lay - Unavailable for round 2 due to injury. Source.
Samuel Slade - Unavailable for round 2 due to injury. Source.
Suetena Asomua - Unavailable for round 2 due to injury. Source.
Viliame Fine - Came off injured in rd 2.

Gone for the season:

This will be completed during the season.

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Written by your local rugby nerd Harrison Dale.