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Crusaders hit with injury blow as All Blacks prospect set for sideline stint

By Alex McLeod
(Photo by Teaukura Moetaua/Getty Images)

The Crusaders have been hit with a significant injury blow with young star Cullen Grace ruled out of action for the foreseeable future with a fractured thumb.

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The franchise made the announcement on Tuesday, saying Grace will require surgery on the base of his right thumb after injuring it during his side’s 18-13 Super Rugby Aotearoa win over the Chiefs on Sunday.

No return to play timeframe or injury replacement player has yet been given by the Crusaders.

The loss of the 20-year-old will be certainly be felt by the back-to-back-to-back reigning Super Rugby champions, who have relied heavily on the youngster as a key component in their forward pack in his debut campaign at this level.

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Capable of playing lock, Grace has mainly been deployed at blindside flanker for Scott Robertson’s side, starting on the short side of the scrum in five times this year.

It’s there where the Hawera-born Timaru Boys’ High School product has flourished, with his high defensive work rate and supreme ability at the lineout thrusting him into All Blacks consideration.

With national captain Sam Cane expected to remain at openside flanker and Ardie Savea arguably the favourite to fill the vacant No. 8 role, there is an opening that Grace could fill in the All Blacks set-up, and his performances in 2020 would warrant such a call-up.

His upcoming spell on the sideline may put a dent in his international aspirations this season, though, as there are a plethora of other budding loose forwards across New Zealand who have impressed during Super Rugby Aotearoa.

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Fellow blindside flankers Shannon Frizell was a particular standout over the weekend, and he – along with Hurricanes utility forward Vaea Fifita and Blues tearaway Dalton Papalii – already have All Blacks experience to their name.

Additionally, the showings of young No. 8s Hoskins Sotutu and Marino Mikaele-Tu’u and experienced Chiefs openside flanker Lachlan Boshier may also force a re-shuffle in the All Blacks’ back row among incumbents Cane and Savea.

That could block that path for a maiden All Blacks selection for Grace later this year, but at the age of just 20, there remains ample amounts of time for him to continue to strut his stuff with the Crusaders.

The Christchurch club have plenty of depth to cover for Grace’s absence, with the likes of Ethan Blackadder, Sione Havili and Tom Sanders able to fill the No. 6 jersey.

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The Crusaders will look to overtake the Blues at the top of the Super Rugby Aotearoa standings this weekend when they take on the Highlanders in a South Island derby at Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin on Saturday.

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Bull Shark 2 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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