The Casualty Ward Rd 15
The Casualty Ward Rd 15
Round 14 is behind us and it looks like just about every team that played a contact sport over the weekend have red card troubles to deal with. The SANZAR Judiciary are creating more Jobs than Twiggy Forrest as they work tirelessly to bamboozle even the most unhinged maniac when it comes to ruling on player bans. This week the Casualty Ward will be on top of injuries, red cards and rest weeks as the information comes hard and fast throughout the week.
Don't forget about the pod! Episode 14 of the @FantasyXVDraft podcasts will be available from Tuesday morning (AEST). Cargie, Harry & Nelson will make sure you're the most informed rugby lover on the planet, so tune in, rate, review and share us. You'll find us across all platforms on the links below:
Returned from Injuries in Rd 15:
Luke Romano (Crusaders) - Out with an ankle injury before Rd 11. Came off the bench this week, a role he will probably keep for the rest of the season. Tei Walden (Highlanders) - Ruled out of Rd 14 with concussion symptoms. Came back on at 12 and played well. Richard Buckman (Highlanders) – Came back from a long term neck/ nerve injury. Only got a few minutes off the bench. Liam Squire (Highlanders) – Fractured his thumb then had to have it fractured again so it would heal properly! Was expected to miss the France tests but made his comeback off the bench this week instead. Looked fit! Geoff Parling (Rebels) - Came off in the 44th minute in Rd 13, came off the bench for Coleman this week. Dane Haylett-Petty (Rebels) – Made his return from a neck injury at fullback, setup two good tries but did miss an easy tackle. Ben Daley (Rebels) - Recovered from a shoulder injury to take his spot on the bench. Jordan Uelese (Rebels) - Came off with nerve damage near his bicep in Rd 10. Finally made his comeback off the bench this week. Due more minutes in the near future you'd think. Caleb Timu (Reds) - Ankle Syndesmosis sprain (high ankle sprain). Came off the bench this week for Higginbotham. Wharenui Hawera (Brumbies) - Came off Rd 13 with an ankle injury. Back on the bench where he might just stay. Folau Faingaa (Brumbies) - Red card from a headbutt. Apparently he has copped a one week ban so should be back Rd 17. Keita Inagaki (Sunwolves) - Out from Rd 9 with a knee injury. Got some minutes off the bench and will now join the international camp, missing Rd 16. James Moore (Sunwolves) - Concussion in Rd 11. Started this week. Semisi Masirewa (Sunwolves) - Ruled out of Rd 14 with a dislocated finger. Made his comeback early this week via the bench. Hosea Saumaki (Sunwolves) - Originally ruled out for two weeks due to a rib cartilage injury but he has made his comeback early , on the wing this week. Shinya Makabe (Sunwolves) – Came back from a sprained ankle and started at lock. Harold Vorster (Lions) - Missed Rd 14 with the flu, but with the unavailability of Mapoe he teamed up with Rohan in the centres. Steven Kitshoff (Stormers) - Was rested as a precaution due to a minor injury last week. Played 33min off the bench this week. Bongi Mbonambi (Stormers) – Burst appendix before Rd 1. Made his comeback off the bench this week. Faces a fight to get his jersey back from Samuels. Burger Odendaal (Bulls) - Recovered from a rib injury and started at inside centre in his teams loss to the Brumbies.
Liam Squire made his return from injury against the Reds
New Injuries Rd 15:
Don't forget that the South African conference won't be playing this week, so depending where you play your fantasy footy you'll likely have to bench all your South African and Argentinian players! Tim Bateman (Crusaders) - Tore his hamstring early in the match against the Hurricanes. He walked off without a limp which suggests he is probably only gone a week or two. Pete Samu (Crusaders) - Came off with a concussion. Should know his availability (along with Whitelock and Crotty) come Wednesday. Braydon Ennor (Crusaders) - "Monday's scan revealed he suffered two high-ankle sprains last weekend - good news considering it was initially feared he broke both ankles"! Source here. James Lentjes (Highlanders) - Concussion. Kayne Hammington (Highlanders) - Sprained his ankle and came off late, we didn't expect him to start next week regardless, but it looks like he'll be gone until Rd 17. Michael Fatialofa (Hurricanes) - In doubt for this week with a knee injury. Source here. Jimmy Tupou (Blues) - Just had his ACL reconstruction, now out for the season. Folau Faingaa (Brumbies) - Red carded for a gentle kiss on the head with his own forehead. Given a one week ban so will miss Rd 16. Hosea Saumake (Sunwolves) - Limped off in the 79th minute after getting hammered by Naivalu. Was seen getting his knee strapped on the sideline. Now confirmed he has ruptured his ACL and will be gone for the season. Michael Little (Sunwolves) - Dislocated his knee cap, could be gone for the season. Five members of the Sunwolves side will leave for the international side this week. They are listed below: Grant Hattingh (Sunwolves) - Headed home to Japan on the 29th of May with concussion.
Thanks to @FreemanRugbyJPN for this one Pieter-Steph du Toit (Stormers) - Ruled out of Rd 15 due to illness. Will be back after the break. Seabelo Senatla (Stormers) - Returned to the Sevens side. No word on if he will return to the squad after the break. Chris Van Zyl (Stormers) - Out for the rest of the season with a left knee meniscus repair. Source here. Raymond Rhule (Stormers) - Copped a 3 week ban for his high elbow on Combrinck. Back before Rd 17. JJ Engelbrecht (Stormers) - Copped 1 week for his clean around the head on the weekend. Ruan Botha (Sharks) - Copped 4 weeks for his high tackle. Will be back for Rd 17. Robbie Coetzee (Lions) - Got taken out by his own team mate and injured his left knee. Looked like another MCL injury. A chance for after the break, but Marx could be back anyway Marco Van Staden (Bulls) - Badly sprained his ankle. Back until after the international break. Source here. Roelof Smit (Bulls) - Injured his knee, "A complete grade 3 tear of his ligament", i'm assuming his MCL, so he is out for 10-12 weeks. The rest of the season. Source here.
Hosea Saumaki getting strapped up on the sideline, Credit to Fox Sports
Likely back for this week (Rd 16):
Vaea Fifita (Hurricanes) - Bone bruise to his shoulder. No idea on a return date yet but could be in the mix for this week. Gareth Evans (Hurricanes) - Injured his ankle during the week before Rd 15 and couldn't play the Crusaders. UPDATE 29/5: out of his moon boot and a possibility to play this week. Wes Goosen (Hurricanes) - Broke his jaw against the Chiefs in Rd 9. Back on the bench this week. Sam Cane (Chiefs) - Abdominal strain before Rd 12 ruled him out on match day before kick off. Back on the bench this week. Source here. Tiaan Falcon (Chiefs) - Hand injury before Rd 11, expected to return to play in the next 3-4 weeks. If he isn;t named now it is probably just form. Jordan Taufua (Crusaders) - Ruled our late before kickoff with "calf tightness". Pretty likely to play this week. Source here. Joe Moody (Crusaders) - Copped a 2 week ban for "that elbow" in Rd 13. Back this week Israel Dagg (Crusaders) - Reinjured his dodgy knee in Rd 11. Did not get back in time to play the Hurricanes. Source here. James Parsons (Blues) - Came off for a concussion test in Rd 14. Apparently he passed it but didn't come back on. Josh Goodhue (Blues) - Concussion in Rd 12. Not much word out of the Blues camp (as usual) but surely he is back soon. TJ Faiane (Blues) - Was meant to be out for at least two weeks with an ankle sprain. Expected back from Rd 13 but he missed the 23. Not sure if he isn't right yet or if he just isn't in the picture with so many players returning. Matt Duffie (Blues) - Concussion Rd 14. Alex Hodgman (Blues) – Injured his arm in rd 5, now starting this week. (Highlanders) - Ben Smith, Luke Whitelock, Shannon Frizell and Liam Coltman, all expected back after being rested last week. Ross Haylett-Petty (Rebels) - Came off during half time with concussion in Rd 10. Back on the bench this week. Chris Feauai-Sautia (Reds) - Concussed in Rd 13. Apparently still struggling but is a chance for Rd 16. Lukhan Tui (Reds) - Apparently due back from his Rd 9 knee injury. Source here. Gerhard Van Den Heever (Sunwolves) – Had a chronic groin issue. His training loads have being limited all season but he is due a run while the Japan squad have assembled. [getty src="946128078" width="594" height="396" tld="com.au"] Lukhan Tui is likely to make his comeback from a knee injury this week. Credit to Getty Images.
Ongoing Injury List:
NEW ZEALAND Highlanders Thomas Umaga-Jensen – Shoulder injury. The midfielder should return after the June break for Rd 17. Siate Tokolahi - Hyper extended his right knee getting chop tackled in Rd 10. Grade 2 tear to his MCL (inside ligament) has him out for an expected 4-6 weeks. UPDATE: Out until after the international break for Rd 17. Source here. Tevita Nabura - Got a red card for fly kicking Waratahs winger Clarke in the face Rd 14. Copped a 6 week ban meaning we will see him for the last round of the regular season. Source here. Elliot Dixon - Copped a knock on the elbow in Rd 14. Didn't recover in time for Rd 15. Should play this week. Hurricanes The Hurricanes this year won't play anyone that isn't fit to play fully on Monday of the game week. Matt Proctor - Had a recurrence of his sternum problem in Rd 14 that made him miss a month early in the year. Expected to miss another month. Chiefs The Chiefs this year - "There was a team policy this year to give injured players an extra week to ensure they were fully fit." Mitchell Graham – Out for first 6 weeks, had screws removed from old leg fracture operation. No news and no idea when he will be back. Nepo Laulala – Fractured left forearm requiring surgery. Out for 8-12 weeks (30th April to 28th May). Not in the ABs squad due to injury so we won't see him until after the break. Kane Hames – Struggling with concussion. Ruled out of the June internationals. Lachlan Boshier - Appendicitis ruled him out since Rd 12. Apparently still wasn't training with the squad before Rd 14. Source here. Tyler Ardron - Copped another concussion in Rd 14. Still not right for Rd 16. Crusaders Kieran Read – Coming back from 2017 back surgery. Ruled out of rugby until at least after the International break. He made his first appearance at Crusaders training at "walking speed" only after Rd 13. Source here. Owen Franks - Copped a two week ban for his high shot on Parsons. We will see him back after the international break. Tim Perry - Tore his hamstring again in All Blacks camp. Described as "at least a few weeks away" before Rd 16. Source here. Manasa Mataele - Tore his hamstring in Rd 14. Ruled out until after the international break. Source here. Ryan Crotty - Concussion. Didn't recover in time for Rd 15 and now 16. Source here. Sam Whitelock - Ruled out to play the Blues Rd 14 for a concussion. Still not right for Rd 16. Blues Isaac Salmon – Elbow Daniel Kirkpatrick - Rib injury. Jordan Trainor - Hand injury Blake Gibson – Shoulder injury, as of the 7th of March he was about seven weeks away. I expected him to play round 11 but still no dice! Patrick Tuipulotu - Took another knock to an ongoing shoulder injury. He is now "extremely doubtful" to be right in time to play the internationals, and even at risk of missing the rest of the season. Source here. AUSTRALIA Waratahs Jack Dempsey – Hamstring Injury – Originally targeted a Rd 9 but the coach says he isn't quite right so won't be rushed. The Foxsports podcast after Rd 9 said he could be as many as another 6 weeks! Ned Hanigan - MCL injury from a clean out by Scott Barrett in Rd13. Apparently he is in a brace and is likely out until the June internationals. Expect him back for Rd 17. Source here. Brumbies Chance Peni - Cited for his high shot on Dagg in Rd 12. He has been banned for 5 rounds of Super Rugby given it is his third ban in 12 months! He won't be available until after the June international break, so probably round 17. Source here. Rory Arnold - Copped a red card for a high tackle on Jantjies. Confirmed Sunday night that he will miss 3 weeks. Rob Valentini- Limped off with another MCL tear. The Brumbies are hopefully he could be back after the international break. Robbie Abel - Ruled out before kickoff with a calf injury in Rd 14. Got flown home before their Rd 15 game. Reds Nil Rebels Richard Hardwick - Another one with an MCL injury. Probably targeting a return after the international break. Source here. Will Genia - Apparently he will not play this week in the lead up to the internationals. Back Rd 17. SOUTH AFRICA Sharks Nil Stormers Eben Etzebeth – Shoulder nerve injury. Flek says he won't even consider him until their rd 17 game against the Jaguares at the earliest. Source here. JD Schickerling – Suffered a torn pectoral muscle against the Crusaders, has been flown home from the tour. Out for four months so will be back after the international window. Juarno Augustus – progressing well from a long term injury. Sergeal Petersen – Injured his MCL (knee) and has been sidelined for four months. Sounds like he will be available from about Rd 10. At this stage i'm not sure if he is in the frame for selection or not. Source here. Damian Willemse - Now officially away with his U20s side. We probably won't see him until Rd 17. Source here. Lions Courtnall Skosan – ACL in January – Said to be back after their Australasian tour for rd 14 but he released a video of him running at max 85%, i'm not sure exactly where his rehab is but to me he looks like he could well be months away. Malcolm Marx - A high hamstring tear which could keep him out for six weeks. Tread carefully with this one because it wouldn't surprise me if it quickly became 12 weeks. Source here. Lionel Mapoe - Missed the last two weeks with a groin injury. Apparently almost played last week so you'd expect he plays Rd 17. Warren Whiteley – Re-irritated his knee before Rd 10. Apparently his return is "around the corner" so we should see him for Rd 17. Source here. Bulls Franco Naude – Undergone shoulder surgery and will be out for four months from Rd 2 – Roughly Rd 15. Hanro Liebenberg - Injured his MCL in Rd 9, back after the international break. Jannes Kirsten - Had a nerve injury. Back after the international break. Pierre Schoeman - Not technically an injured but he has been cited for allegedly biting a Rebels player. UPDATE 24/4: Banned for six weeks! Source here. Marnitz Boshoff - 1/05/18: Recovering well from his meniscus surgery. Jamba Ulengo – Ongoing Patella Tendon issue- Training with the squad since before Rd 10. They will be very careful with quickly they have to load him up with running so it could be a while until we see him. Hendre Stassen - Looked to be in a lot of discomfort with an ankle injury in Rd 14. We might not see him for a while. [getty src="884729236" width="495" height="594" tld="com.au"] ARGENTINA/JAPAN Jaguares Matías Moroni – Shoulder operation – Set to play for the Argentinian XV (development side) for his first game this week. Source here. Pablo Matera - Suffered a shoulder "sprain and bicep tendon injury" just before half time Rd 10. He is expected to be out for 2-3 months meaning he will miss the June internationals and play from Rd 17 at the earliest, or even miss the rest of the season. Source here. Tomás Cubelli – Coming back from his fractured neck, Played with the Argentina XV team from week 10 of Super Rugby. Word is that we might not see him for a few weeks. Sunwolves Kazuki Himeno - Missed Rd 14 after having his wisdom teeth out. I expect we won't see him until Rd 17 now. Source here. OUT FOR THE SEASON: Otere Black (Blues) – ACL reconstruction Matt Johnson (Blues) - Season ending injury. No further information Scott Scrafton (Blues) - This isn't a new injury but its news to us! Scrafton has been ruled out for the season with an ACL tear. Glenn Preston (Blues)– Groin injury, out for the season. George Moala (Blues) - Pec muscle strain that will keep him out for the season. I assume that means he is having an operation to repair it. Reggie Goodes (Hurricanes) – Retired due to concussion Vince Aso (Hurricanes) - Damaged ligaments in his wrist. Confirmed now that he is done for the season. Dane Coles (Hurricanes) – ACL Start of December. Couldn't get his knee straight so had another operation after Rd 14. Now gone for the rest of the season. Alex Fidow (Hurricanes) – Recovered from his fractured cheek but now ruptured a ligament in his big toe. This needs surgery and he will be gone for the season. Source here. Asafo Aumua (Hurricanes) - Wrist fracture I think in Rd 9, out for 12 weeks which apparently could put him back for Rd 19. The Hurricanes are saying he probably wont play again this season. Tim Nanai-Williams (Chiefs) – Injured shoulder in final trial against Brumbies – having surgery and will be out for the season. Atu Moli (Chiefs) – Had a complication with a quad haematoma which required surgery. Ruled out for the season. Mitchell Brown (Chiefs) – Ruptured ACL after round 5, had an operation and out for the season. Dominic Bird (Chiefs) – Ruled out for the season after having an operation on his shoulder. Fin Hoeata (Chiefs) – His shoulder needs a reconstruction so he will be out for the season. Aidan Ross (Chiefs) - Broke his ankle and had to be stretchered off the field. Gone for the season. Sam McNicol (Chiefs) – Recurrent Concussions – now ruled out for the season. Taleni Seu (Chiefs) - Limped off half an hour into the game against the Hurricanes in Rd 9. Now confirmed he has fractured his back and is out for the season. Ben Funnell (Crusaders) - Tore his ACL against the Sunwolves in Rd 10. Out for the season. Oli Jager (Crusaders) - Hurt his shoulder during training before the Lions game (Rd 7). Now decided to have a reconstruction (Rd 11) so won't play again this season. Tom Sanders (Crusaders) - Fractured the ankle in Rd 10 that got a pin in it in preseason. Requires another operation and is very unlikely to play again this season. Quade Cooper (Reds) – unwanted by reds but still contracted – unlikely to see him play this season. Karmichael Hunt (Reds) – He may be back from his drug trial but Thorn says he hasn't being attending training for the Reds or even club footy. It sounds like his season is as good as done. Source here. Nick Frisby (Reds) – His services will not be needed. Markus Vanzati (Reds) – His services will not be needed. James Slipper (Reds) - Not considered for selection in Rd 14 after testing positive for Cocaine (TWICE). He has now been stood down for two months so we won't see him again this season. Source here. Ben McCalman (Waratahs) – 4th Fractured Scapula (Shoulder blade) in 2 years, Waratahs want a medical before signing him. Looks like they didn’t end up signing him. Josh Mann-Rea (Brumbies) – Tore his hamstring off the bone in round 4, has now had surgery and will be out for the season. Richard Hardwick (Rebels) - MCL (ligament inside of the knee) injury. Out for the season so I assume he has had surgery. Lappies Labuschagne (Sunwolves) - His time with the Sunwolves has finished as his contract with the Kubota Spears won't allow him to play any further. This is a real worry for other Sunwolves players since we don't know what each contract outlines, and this came out of no where! Coenie Oosthuizen (Sharks) – ACL reconstruction Jaco Kriel (Lions) – Off season shoulder op – was expected back for Rd 4 but reinjured his shoulder, is having ANOTHER operation and is expected out for a further six months! Looks like he is done for the season. Rudy Paige (Bulls) – cut from the squad Tim Agaba (Bulls) - Played for the Blue Bulls in Rd 11 and tore his bicep. Has had an operation and is out for four to six months/ the season. Source here. Lood De Jager (Bulls) - Ruptured his Pec muscle in Rd 13 and will be out for four months! Source here. Lizo Gqoboka (Bulls) - Suffered an injury to the tendon in his toe and will be out for the rest of the year (four to six months) having an operation. Same source as Lood's horror injury. Enrique Pieretto (Jaguares) – ACL Reconstruction Joaquín Tuculet (Jaguares) - Came off with a knee injury. Now confirmed as an ACL rupture he will be out for the season having surgery. Have we missed something? Drop a comment or tweet and let us know. Written by your local rugby nerd Harrison Dale.