The Casualty Ward Rd 8

Another cracking round of Super rugby is done and the #CasualtyWard  has all the latest updates about your favourite injured players. We are your one stop shop, so look no further!

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Returned from Injuries in Rd 8:

Ofa Tu'ungafasi (Blues) - Started for the Blues after having a rest last week. Played 58 minutes. Matt Duffie (Blues) - All Blacks rest week last game. Was originally bracketed to play but seemed fine on the field. Kara Pryor (Blues) - Back from his ankle injury to take the number 7 jersey, looked solid and should hold his spot until the return of Blake Gibson. Dalton Papali’i (Blues) – Missed six weeks with a hand fracture. Got his bench spot back this week. Matt Moulds (Blues) – Returning from off season knee surgery the Northland captain took his spot back on the bench. Got 26 minutes at the end. Pete Samu (Crusaders) – Came off in Rd 3 with a shoulder injury. Then flew over to Argentina to meet up with the team along with Billy Harmon this week. Came off the bench for the last 24 minutes. Surely he starts after the bye.

Sam Carter (Brumbies) – Concussion against the Rebels in Rd 4. Came back via the bench this week. I'd expect he starts in Rd 9. Lukhan Tui (Reds) – Tip tackle on Genia and then drove him into the ground. Copped a 3 game ban in Rd 6. Came off the bench against the Brumbies. It will be interesting to see if he is preferred over Kane Douglass this week. Kotaro Matsushima (Sunwolves) - Pulled mid week before Rd 6 with an adductor muscle injury. Played out the full match so clearly they aren't too worried about him. Sam Wykes (Sunwolves) – Had a “severe concussion” but got back into his work against the Waratahs. Hayden Parker (Sunwolves) – Hamstring tear/ knee injury? Played 24min off the bench. Looks like Yu Tamura will be favoured over him going forwards. Jaba Bregvadze (Sunwolves) - Came off the bench this week.

JJ Engelbrecht (Stormers) - Pulled pregame Rd 6 with a quad haematoma (cork) that didn't settle as hoped. Should of been sweet for Rd 8 so i think he was not selected. Ali Vermaak (Stormers) – Back in full training. No idea where he stands in the pecking order this year given that the Stormers have so many good props. I assume he is just not in the selection frame Ruan Combrinck (Lions) – Had off season shoulder surgery. Played the full game and looked back to his best, composed, kicked well and made a good run. Santiago González Iglesias (Jaguares) – Came off after taking a blow to the shoulder in Rd 6. Played 11 minutes off the bench for Sanchez. Tomás Lezana (Jaguares) – Had an operation that was meant to have him out until early May but then made a surprising comeback off the bench on the weekend.

[getty src="943066406" width="594" height="395" tld="com.au"] Ruan Combrinck scores a try on his comeback from shoulder surgery. Credit Getty Images.

New Injuries Rd 8:

George Moala (Blues) - Came off in the first half with an arm injury. Not confirmed that he will not fly to Japan although we don't have a return date yet. Source here Jerome Kaino (Blues) - Came off in the first half with a hamstring injury. Won't play this week against the Sunwolves. Damien McKenzie (Chiefs) - Apparently it was a hip injury that brought him off. Cooper says he is a "work in progress" so should be out for "1-2 weeks". Source here. Charlie Ngatai (Chiefs) - Pulled late with a knee injury. Apparently he is quite likely to play this week. I've also heard it was a hamstring injury. Tyler Ardron (Chiefs) - Going through concussion protocols this week. Toni Pulu (Chiefs) - Shoulder injury during training, out for at least 2 weeks. Source here. Jordan Taufua (Crusaders) - Wasn't in the squad against the Jaguares but no idea why. Some articles suggest he is injured, others that he was being rested. Beauden Barrett (Hurricanes) - Pulled pregame with a quad strain. Expected to play this Friday against the Chiefs. As it is only stopping him from kicking at the moment. This could add some value to Jordie who would likely kick if he isn't quite right. Apparently "The Hurricanes have a policy of not picking anyone who can't train fully on the Monday of match week". This is well worth remembering!!!! Source here. TJ Perenara (Hurricanes) - Came off with a tweak to his MCL (inside ligament of the knee). Generally players can make do with these injuries without too many issues. Probably won't play this week but fine the next.

Henry Speight (Brumbies) - Ruled out before kick off with a knee injury. I get the feeling it was just a niggle and he could play this week. Lachlan McCaffrey (Brumbies) - Came off in a world of hurt with a dislocated right elbow. I expect him to be out for at least 12 weeks. Eto Nabuli (Reds) - Ruled out pregame due to illness. Likely back next week but could be competing against Perese for his spot. Ben Lucas (Reds) - Got knocked out cold by Dargaville. Looked absolutely out of it for a long time afterwards. Surely in doubt for this week. Taniela Tupou (Reds) - Left shoulder injury, managed to play through 20-30min while injured so surely it isn't too severe. Scott Higginbotham (Reds) - Had to be supported off by two people with a calf injury.

Chiliboy Ralepelle (Sharks) - Couldn't quite make out if he came off to ice his ribs or elbow. He has now been named to start. Thomas Du Toit (Sharks) - Came off clutching at his left shoulder after a big run where he turned over the ball. Madosch Tambwe (Lions) - Limped off after scoring his #RyanQuaddy (4 tries) with what looked like a quad cork. Should be fine after their bye. Cyle Brink (Lions) - Has a 'nerve entrapment' and had to come off in the 31st minute. Looks unlikely to tour Aus and NZ which could put him out until at least Rd 14. Source here. Dillon Smith (Lions) - Rib cartilage probably puts him out of their tour as well.

[getty src="942914020" width="594" height="389" tld="com.au"] Lachlan McCaffrey was sucking down on a green whistle after dislocating his elbow. Credit Getty Images.

Likely back for this week (Rd 9):

Lima Sopoaga (Highlanders) -  "It was thought he had jammed a couple of bones in his foot and might have strained some cartilage around the area". Waiting on an MRI but sounds like he will not miss a game. Source here. Sio Tomkinson (Highlanders) - Sprained an ankle with 5 min to go and played through the pain. Touch and go for Rd 9 but probably not a starter anyway. Taleni Seu (Chiefs) - Has a back "niggle" and won't play round 8. I expect he will be back this week. Brad Weber (Chiefs) - Fractured wrist against the Highlanders. Expected back this week or next. Matt Proctor (Hurricanes) - Sternum injury, not looking good for rd 8, so we are expecting him in rd 9. Ardie Savea (Hurricanes) - Came off with what looked like some very sore ribs in Rd 6. Not named in rd 8 but should be back soon.

Nick Phipps (Waratahs) – Calf injury Feb 7th, has now been left out of the tour squad to Japan for rd 8 because is not fit enough. Played club footy last week and likely Tahs this week. Amanaki Mafi (Rebels) - Played out of his skin for 40 minutes! Didn't come back after half time though, makes you think how early his concussion happened. Should be sweet after the Rd 7 bye but who knows when it comes to concussion. Dane Haylett-Petty (Rebels) – Concussion in Rd 5, looked like a bad one and still had symptoms before Rd 7. Wessels seems positive that he should play Rd 8. George Smith (Reds) – Back surgery – back in full training, we believe he is likely to play Rd 9 but it hasn't specifically been said yet. Izaia Perese (Reds) – Partially torn his ACL against their trial against Fiji. Back training with the team, last weeks reports seemed to suggest he was more likely than Smith to play Rd 9. Keita Inagaki (Sunwolves) - Out for 4-6 weeks with a knee injury. Source here.

Dan Du Preez (Sharks)– Shoulder ligament injury in Rd 1. Meant to be reassessed for round 5 but now will miss the Australasian tour. Expected back Rd 9. Jeremy Ward (Sharks) – Not on tour, will miss the Australasian tour so out until at least Rd 9. Akker Van Der Merwe (Sharks) -Pulled pregame with an injury in Rd 7 then not named in Rd 8. Not really sure what happened with him but he is back on the bench this week. Michael Claassens (Sharks) – Not on tour, will miss the Australasian tour so out until at least Rd 9. Jacques Vermeulen (Sharks) - Copped a two week suspension for dangerous play so we won't see him again until round 9. Travis Ismael (Bulls) – Pulled pregame with a back strain. Apparently he is doing much better and should play Rd 9. Tim Agaba (Bulls) - Pulled pregame Rd 7 with tonsillitis. Sounds like he didn't need surgery so he should play Rd 9. Nicholas De Jager (Bulls) – Fractured rib in Rd 4 – coach says he will be right for Rd 9. RG Snyman (Bulls) – Facial fracture in rd 5, will make his comeback in Rd 9. Source here. Lood de Jager (Bulls) - Missed Rd 7 with a calf injury, Looks like playing in Rd 9. Nic Groom (Lions) - Signed with the Lions as injury cover before Rd 8 from the Northhampton Saints. Not sure when he will get a run but it could be soon if you want a solid smokey. Leonardo Senatore (Jaguares) – Concussion in Rd 2, i'm not sure he is a starter anymore but he has been added to the squad for the Australasian tour starting Rd 9. Source here.

[getty src="939945570" width="594" height="396" tld="com.au"] Lima Sopoaga is expected back from his odd injury in Rd 7. Credit Getty Images.

Ongoing Injury List:

NEW ZEALAND Highlanders Richard Buckman – Aggravated an old neck injury that will keep him out until at least Rd 10. James Lentjes –  Shoulder injury in last preseason game – back in April, is now back running with the squad. Thomas Umaga-Jensen – Shoulder injury. Dan Pryor – Hamstring injury. Liam Squire – Fractured his thumb and will be out for up to six weeks. Back for Rd 11.

Hurricanes The Hurricanes this year won't play anyone that isn't fit to play fully on Monday of the game week. Dane Coles – ACL Start of December, return in “4-6 months” so probably getting a synthetic LARS graft. These have higher rupture rates. So he has a higher risk of reinjury and will probably be undercooked on return. AVOID. Nehe Milner-Skudder – Shoulder reconstruction – Back in May. Alex Fidow – Fractured cheek, expected back round 8-10. Toby Smith – Still struggling with concussion issues after round 2.

Chiefs Chiefs All Blacks all to miss the May 20th game against the Sharks while in camp. 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 Nepo Laulala – Fractured left forearm requiring surgery. Out for 8-12 weeks (30th April to 28th May). Kane Hames – No real info about his “mystery illness”. But i have read that maybe it is concussion. Shaun Stevenson – Injured his knee in the Rd 3 pregame warm up. UPDATE before Rd 6 – He has had a clean up (arthroscopy) and is expected out for 4-6 weeks (Rd 10-12). Sam McNicol – Recurrent Concussions – going through the normal protocols but who knows when he will be back. Michael Allardice - Picked up a groin injury two days before Rd 6. "Not yet at mach fitness" as of Rd 8. Crusaders Owen Franks – Achilles rupture in September for NZ-  Targeting 21st April (Rd 10) Israel Dagg – Knee Injury from 2017. Targeting 21st April Rd 10 Joe Moody  – Played club rugby coming back from his shoulder injury in Rd8. Fractured his finger through the skin which will keep him out for another 6 weeks. Source here. He should make a come back against the Blues or Hurricanes. Kieran Read – Coming back from 2017 back surgery. Originally tipped to play in Rd 10 after their bye it is not looking very ujnlikely. Apparently now no official date can be given on his return but he may well miss the international series as well. Not good! Richie Mo’unga – Broken jaw which required surgery. Should be out for 6-8 weeks (Rds 10-11). Sounds like he is a good chance to play round 10. Jack Goodhue - Came off in the second half of Rd 7 with a hamstring tear. Flown home to NZ so earliest we could see him is Rd 10 after the bye. No return date listed as yet. Oli Jager - Hurt his shoulder during training before the Lions game (Rd 7). Meant he gave up his spot on the bench to Chris king. Now waiting on scans to determine the damage. Wyatt Crockett - Came off with a concussion in Rd 7. Apparently HE ASKED FOR THE HIA! Didn't play against the Jaguares but should be right after the bye.

Blues Blake Gibson – Shoulder injury, Likely still 7 weeks away (7/3/18) so roughly round 11. Isaac Salmon – Elbow Glenn Preston – Limped off with a calf tear. We thought likely back after the bye to play Rd 7 but he is still on the injury list for round 8. Augustine Pulu – Came off with a foot injury. Expected to be out for 5-6 weeks which puts his return around Rds 9-10. Sonny Bill Williams – Fractured his wrist in rd 5. out for 6-8 weeks so should be back between Rd 11-14. Alex Hodgman – Injured his arm in rd 5 and has been flown home because he “won’t be fit for this week”.  No idea when he will be back but still not fit for round 8. Daniel Kirkpatrick - Rib injury. Jordan Trainor - Hand injury Melani Nanai - Rolled his ankle really early in the try fest against the Sharks in Rd 7. Had to be helped off the field, then was spotted on the sideline in a moon boot so it doesn't look good. Likely 6 weeks plus would be my guess.

[getty src="926166368" width="594" height="415" tld="com.au"] Augustine Pulu must be getting close to a return for the Blues. Credit Getty Images.

AUSTRALIA Waratahs Izzy Folau - Tore his hamstring early in the game against the Brums in Rd 7. Announced on twitter that he is expected to miss 3-4 weeks. That makes him a chance to play the Lions in Rd 10, otherwise we will have to wait until Rd 12 after their bye. Jack Dempsey – Hamstring Injury – Has targeted a Rd 9 return since the start of the season but he hasn't been named and we aren't hearing any news.

Brumbies Rob Valentini – Medial ligament (knee) injury – Had surgery 28th Feb. Hopefully 6-8 weeks. Could be gone for 12 weeks! This would have his comeback date set at Round 14 away to the Lions.

Reds Karmichael Hunt – UPDATE: Given a 4 game suspension after his drug trial that as of round 6 has finished. He will need to get some training sessions under his belt but he could be back as early as round 7.

Rebels Nil SOUTH AFRICA Sharks Leolin Zas – Not coming back well from injury – flown to Switzerland to try and get better.

Stormers Frans Malherbe – Preseason neck injury. Should be in contention for selection in Rd 10 after their bye. Sounds like the coaches plan will be to rotate him with Louw much like Kitshoff and JC. Dewaldt Duvenage - Came off with a "popped rib". Sounds like he is expected to be back after the bye for rd 10. Jean-Luc du Plessis – Groin operation on Dec 1st. Available from Rd 10. Daniel du Plessis – Shoulder Injury, available from Rd 10. Dan Kriel – Played Western Province in rd 5 coming back from his foot injury. Available from Rd 10. Seabelo Senatla – Tore his groin  in round 3. Should be right for Rd 10. Sergeal Petersen – Injured his MCL (knee) up for Western Province & has been sidelined for four months.  Sounds like he will be available earlier than first thought, for Rd 10. Source here. Eben Etzebeth – Shoulder nerve injury, UPDATE 20th March: Rehab is on schedule, aiming to be back in round 12. He is also rehabbing an old back injury. Bongi Mbonambi – Burst appendix before Rd 1 – was expected to play Rd 5 but he has had a further operation and now won’t  be able to train for another 3 months! Now targeting roughly Rds 11-13. 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. Cobus Wiese - Tore his hamstring against the Bulls in Rd 7. Apparently he will be "out for about 20 days". Source here. Justin Phillips - Broke 2 ribs in Rd 7 and will miss 6 weeks. Surely he will be the 3rd choice half back by then.

Lions Courtnall Skosan – ACL in January – Said to be back after their Australasian tour for rd 14. Warren Whiteley – Left knee Grade 2 PCL injury in Rd 4. Expected to be out for a month which could put him out until after their Rd 9 bye. Confirmed to back Rd 10. Ross Cronje – Rib injury. Cleared to tour with the team in rd 10. . Rohan Janse Van Rensburg - Has an upper leg haematoma (thigh bruise) which kept him out of rd 7 and now 8. Now fit for the tour starting in Rd 9. Aphiwe Dyantyi - Available for Rd 10 after recovering from his pec muscle tear.

Bulls Ruan Steenkamp – Knee – back mid feb? No news is coming out.. Jamba Ulengo – Ongoing Patella Tendon issue- Had a small operation in Sweden and now expected to be out for 8 weeks (16th April). This would be Rd 10 after their bye. Franco Naude – Undergone shoulder surgery and will be out for four months from Rd 2 – Roughly Rd 15. Conrad Van Vuuren – Cited after Rd 5 for a swinging arm to the head of Damien McKenzie. Will miss 3 weeks so he should be available in round 9. Andre Warner – Concussion Rd 5, no news on how he is progressing.

ARGENTINA/JAPAN Jaguares Tomás Cubelli – Fractured neck vertebra, Hoping to get clearance to play with the Argentina XV team for week 9 of Super Rugby. Originally aiming for end of april/start of may so we may see him back a bit early. The tweet below is the rumour i'm going off after seeing him doing some light contact work in a video last week as well. Matías Moroni – Shoulder operation – back early april?

Sunwolves Shinya Makabe – Sprained ankle. No word on a return date. Gerhard Van Den Heever – Groin pain – being managed. Jason Emery – Surgery for a broken thumb on Thursday 1st March out for 8-10 weeks. Will Tupou - Pulled mid week before Rd 7 with a thigh contusion (bruising). Expected to be out for 2-3 weeks. Kenki Fukuoka - Injured for 4 weeks – Recovering from knee surgery. This was announced during between Rds 6-7 ago so he is surely back soon. UPDATE April 8th, he has been added to the Japan XV team so will probably tour NZ with them for the next few weeks.

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. Reggie Goodes (Hurricanes) – Retired due to concussion 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.

Quade Cooper (Reds) – unwanted by reds but still contracted – unlikely to see him play this season. Nick Frisby (Reds) – His services will not be needed. Markus Vanzati (Reds) – His services will not be needed. 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.

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 Enrique Pieretto (Jaguares) – ACL Reconstruction

Have we missed something? Drop a comment or tweet and let us know.

Written by Harrison Dale