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Darry and Roe join All Blacks squad as midfielder ruled out
By Henry Lee
The All Blacks have provided an injury update ahead of this weekend’s clash against the back-to-back World Champions, the Springboks.
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Scott Robertson and his coaching staff will be without barnstorming midfielder Timoci Tavatavanawai for the rest of the Rugby Championship, after fracturing his radius in Tasman’s victory over Otago in the Bunnings NPC on Friday night.
Experienced Blues and All Blacks lock Patrick Tuipulotu has had successful surgery on his facial fracture he picked up in the first Argentina Test in Cordoba, and will return to play in 4 weeks time.
There had been talks that one of the three injured halfbacks, Cameron Roigard, Noah Hotham and Cortez Ratima would return for this Springboks Test at Eden Park, but the All Blacks have confirmed that Hotham and Roigard are both still 3-4 weeks away.
Ratima is still being assessed in Auckland regarding his rib fracture that he sustained in the 18th minute of the second Test in Buenos Aires, but hasn’t yet been officially ruled out of playing this weekend at Eden Park.
Tyrel Lomax has recovered from his hand fracture that kept him out of the two Argentina Tests, and will be fit and available for this week.
The All Blacks have called in Chiefs and Waikato halfback Xavier Roe in as injury cover for the three injured halfbacks, joining Finlay Christie and Kyle Preston as the fit and available No.9’s for this week.
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Canterbury and Blues lock Sam Darry will also join the Kiwis in Auckland as additional injury cover, after impressing for Canterbury over the course of the opening five weeks in the Bunnings NPC,.
Caleb Clarke and Luke Jacobson have all got through Bunnings NPC action without any injuries, and will join the team for the second Test match against the Springboks in Wellington.
Clarke scored a second half try on his first return for Auckland, while Anton Lienert-Brown and Jacobson were a part of a losing Waikato side against Southland in the Ranfurly Shield.
Crusaders prop George Bower won’t link up with the squad in Auckland, following Tamaiti Williams’ recovery from his knee injury.
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However, the other injury cover replacements, Leroy Carter, Tevita Mafileo, Josh Lord, Finlay Christie, and Kyle Preston, will all remain with the squad.
