All Blacks injury update: Key duo to miss Bledisloe Cup; Barrett in camp with Taranaki
The All Blacks will go into the Bledisloe Cup tests against Australia next month without a couple of regular faces.
Injuries on the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour will keep loose forwards Ardie Savea and Luke Jacobson out for the two tests against the Wallabies.
Savea, who has impressed as captain for Dave Rennie’s All Blacks, dislocated a shoulder late in the first half of the side’s third-test loss to South Africa in Johannesburg.
In the same game, Jacobson injured an elbow tendon. While he finished the test, the injury ruled him out of the fourth fixture in Baltimore, which the All Blacks lost 43-28. They join Caleb Clarke as key absentees for the Bledisloe Cup, with the winger set to miss the rest of the season after shoulder surgery.
While Savea and Jacobson are unavailable for the Bledisloe Cup, 89-test All Black Scott Barrett is working towards a return after back surgery in May.
Barrett is currently in camp with Taranaki in the National Provincial Championship (NPC), working through return-to-play protocols.
While he has no set return-to-play timeline, the Herald understands the union hopes the 32-year-old will be cleared to return in amber and black before the NPC season ends.
When Barrett’s surgery was announced, it was hoped he might be available to join the All Blacks’ camp in time for the Bledisloe Cup and November Nations Championship games in Europe.
A return for Taranaki would certainly be a step in the right direction for the lock.
The back issue came as he worked towards a return with the Crusaders after a non-playing sabbatical this year.
Scott Barrett is in camp with Taranaki as he works through his return-to-play protocols. Photo / Photosport
“He’s tried every non-invasive trick you could do to get right and it just hasn’t come off,” then Crusaders coach Rob Penney said at the time.
“He was in great shape, he had a great break, and he’d come back very excited.”
The status of other injured All Blacks is still being assessed.
A return timeframe is yet to be provided for Quinn Tupaea, who missed the last test against South Africa with a knee injury.
As is the case for Anton Segner (ankle), Cortez Ratima (knee), Ollie Norris (knee), and Billy Proctor (shoulder) who were all also injured during the South African tour, while George Bell (calf) has made his return for Canterbury after injury ruled him out of the South African tour.
Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.
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