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Crusaders issue update on David Havili injury following emergency surgery

(Photo by Michael Bradley/Getty Images)

The Crusaders have issued an update on David Havili’s injury situation after the utility back underwent emergency surgery on his abdominal on Friday.

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The 25-year-old was absent from his side’s 24-20 victory over the Reds in Christchurch three days ago as the Crusaders announced on Sunday that he went under the knife after “experiencing some discomfort”.

In another brief statement released on Monday, the Crusaders said that Havili had a “serious infection of his bowel” which caused the urgent surgery, and that the utility back “is recovering well but will not be available for several weeks”.

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“As this is a non rugby-related issue, the Crusaders won’t be commenting further, and a return to play timeframe will be advised at a later date,” the statement concluded.

The injury blow is a significant one for both Havili and the Crusaders.

Havili has been one of the form players in Super Rugby so far this season, having impressed for the back-to-back-to-back reigning champions mainly from fullback, but also at first-five.

Statistically speaking, he has made the most offloads (14) in the competition to date, while also accumulating an impressive 258 running metres, six clean breaks and beaten 14 defenders in just four matches.

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Without Havili, the Crusaders will be without one of their key attacking figures for an undisclosed yet lengthy period.

On a personal level, the injury is an untimely one for the three-test All Black, who can also play in the midfield and is looking to regain his place in the national side after having made his last appearance at test level in 2017.

The departures of Ryan Crotty, Sonny Bill Williams and Ben Smith have opened some berths in the All Blacks squad for some fresh faces, and Havili’s early season exploits made him a top candidate to fill one of those voids.

However, his selection chances may be cast in doubt thanks to this bowel infection, although there remains hope that he could return before the end of the campaign to play his way back into national contention.

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In Havili’s absence, the Crusaders can call upon promising youngster Will Jordan to plug the gap at fullback, but a niggling groin injury has seen him sidelined in recent weeks.

Nine-test George Bridge played well in the No. 15 jersey during the Crusaders’ win over the Reds and may be utilised there until Jordan or Havili become match fit, although All Blacks rest weeks could alter his availability status.

The fourth-placed Crusaders will continue their quest to secure a fourth successive Super Rugby crown this weekend when they travel to Brisbane to take on the Sunwolves at Suncorp Stadium.

In other news:

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RedWarriors 49 minutes ago
'Not a normal rugby team' - The Leinster flex that floored Jake White

I was actually at the match. Leinster were the outstanding team in the league stage. Leinster’s squad depth meant the Bulls could only nick a late win in Pretoria against an understrenght Leinster. Simple put, Leinster are significantly better this year compared to last. The Dublin match last year was a big win by Leinster. Yes they won by a point in the RDS three years ago but thats not relevant to yesterday.

As Leinster are such a dangerous team, it forces an opponent to focus on a strategy to undermine them and that way get their game on the pitch. Leinster allowed that against Northampton. But that was not going to happen again. The Bulls attack in last 10 minutes of the first half was as savage as anything in the URC this year. Yet Leinsters coaching plan repelled them allied to savage commitment from the players. The defense was outstanding, pressure at breakdown outstanding. Leinster did not win the European cup but arguably at their best this year no other European team could reach that height. They reached that yesterday. Leinster completely removed Bulls ability to hurt them.

And Croke Park….100 years ago the Brits fired machine guns into spectators injuring 100s and killing loads. No Irish team ever performs badly there. Same with Irish supporters. Opposition players might as well be Brit Tommies with machine guns.

I think a great Leinster team, played a great game plan, to the height of their power in a horrible stadium for opponents. If Bulls score before half time they were back in the match. They went down, but they went down fighting.

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