Ethan Blackadder's All Blacks recall bid clouded by season-ending injury

A Tasman Mako injury update has revealed another problem for injury-prone All Black flanker Ethan Blackadder, who will miss the remainder of the NPC season due to a thumb injury.

An All Blacks omission didn’t stop the 30-year-old from re-signing with the Crusaders this July, but the NPC campaign he would’ve been hoping to use to earn a recall is now over.

While calf and hamstring injuries plagued him again this Super Rugby season, Blackadder managed to suit up for 11 Crusaders games, his best tally since 2022. He featured in all five Mako contests so far this season, but was replaced at halftime against Otago last weekend after suffering the thumb injury.

He joins a Mako injury list that includes Highlanders pivot Taine Robinson, fellow Crusader Kershawl Sykes-Martin, and one of the 2024 New Zealand U20’s standouts, Johnny Lee.

The update from the Nelson-based provincial outfit did not specify a timeline, just that Blackadder would miss the remainder of the season.

 

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Blackadder was celebrating his 50th Mako cap in the Otago clash, a game that ended 31-27 in favour of Tasman.