All Blacks lose Sam Darry for rest of Autumn Nations Series

A training injury has befallen All Blacks rookie Sam Darry and has ruled the lock out of the final two games of the team’s 2024 campaign.

With a heavyweight battle against France next on New Zealand’s itinerary, the Kiwis will call in reinforcements from the All Blacks XV squad also currently touring Europe.

Head coach Scott Robertson is yet to decide who the next man up is for the team.

“Sam has got a knee injury, it happened at training, so he will be out four to six weeks,’’ Robertson revealed after Friday’s win over Ireland.

The candidates for promotion are the three second-rowers selected to play Georgia in Sunday’s All Blacks XV match. Naitoa Ah Kuoi and Isaia Walker-Leawere have been named to start with Fabian Holland on the bench.

Walker-Leawere was called upon when the team were in injury trouble earlier in the season, spending time with the All Blacks during The Rugby Championship as Scott Barrett and Patrick Tuipulotu dealt with injuries.

The Hurricanes lock put in a strong shift in the All Blacks XV’s opening game against Munster last weekend, although couldn’t avoid the attention of the referee’s whistle, a common fault of the abrasive 27-year-old.

22-year-old Fabian Holland was awarded Man of the Match in that contest and is touted as the man with the brightest future of the three players in the running. A recent World Rugby eligibility shift has made the Dutch-born prospect available for national selection.

Naitoa Ah Kuoi presents perhaps the safest pick of the bunch as one of Super Rugby Pacific’s best defensive lineout operators. He is also a fan favourite for his outgoing personality.

Current injury replacements in the All Blacks include Brodie McAlister, Josh Lord, Peter Lakai, Christian Lio-Willie, Harry Plummer and AJ Lam.

Elsewhere in the squad, Robertson also offered an update on Codie Taylor and Beauden Barrett who missed the recent Ireland win due to concussion.

“All signs are good that they should be available. They have passed all (the tests) they need to date. It would be great to name them, they have worked hard,” he said.