The regular season Casualty Ward will come out every week to deliver all your injury news. We stay on top of all the latest news, with the added insights of our team's Physiotherapist and Podiatrist.
If you like what you read please like, share and review us everywhere people talk about rugby, and check out our Draft Rugby podcast or show released each week. Tune in, rate, review and share us. You’ll find us across all platforms on the links below:
New Injuries Round 6:
Angus Bell (Waratahs) - Pulled pregame with a back injury. Source.
Charlie Gamble (Waratahs) - Pulled pregame with a calf injury. Source.
Ned Hanigan (Waratahs) - Recovering from a knee injury and missing rounds 6 and 7, no idea about a return date. Source.
Jack Barrett (Waratahs) - The young prop was pulled off early. Not sure if it was an injury or a tactical sub.
Mahe Vailanu (Waratahs) - Tore his meniscus and will be out for the season
Langi Gleeson (Waratahs) - Going through concussion protocols after rd 6. Source.
Jack Grant (Waratahs) - Going through concussion protocols after rd 6. Source.
Josh Kemeny (Rebels) - Pulled pregame but we don’t know why. Source.
Jake Strachan (Rebels) - Came off with a left shoulder injury after 10 minutes.
Lachie Anderson (Rebels) - Came off after a head clash and didn’t return. Could have been for a blood bin, but also could have been a concussion.
Rob Leota (Rebels) - Will miss round 6 with a niggle.
Tevita Ikanivere (Drua) - Red carded and will go through the judiciary.
Etonia Waqa (Drua) - Came off with a serious looking knee injury.
Harry Potter (Force) - Failed an HIA and will go through concussion protocols.
Lachie Lonergan (Brumbies) - Suffered a fracture dislocation to his ankle. Our opinion is that he will likely need surgery and miss at least six months. Source.
Mitchell Drummond (Crusaders) - Pulled pregame without a known reason. Source.
Quinten Strange (Crusaders) - Limped off the field.
Josh Lord (Chiefs) - Had a minor ankle sprain, played on for 20 minutes until finally being replaced. Worst case it looked like it might cost him a week or two.
Lotu Inisi (Moana) - Came off with a concussion.
Fabian Holland (Highlanders) - Came off with a concussion. Source.
Josh Timu (Highlanders) - Came off with a concussion. Source.
Tom Sanders (Highlanders) - Came off with a concussion. Source.
Jona Nareki (Highlanders) - Came off with an ankle injury, apparently not severe but will be assessed further after the bye. Source.
Cam Roigaard (Hurricanes) - Looks to have ruptured his patella tendon. If scans confirm this he will be out for 6-7 months. Source.
Patrick Tuipulotu (Blues) - Suffered a head knock so will go through the concussion protocol. Source.
Bryce Heem (Blues) - Suffered a head knock so will go through the concussion protocol. Source.
Stephen Perofeta (Blues) - Was forced off the field with a shoulder injury. Source.
Mark Tele’a (Blues) - Missing rd 7 due to a rib injury. Source.
Finlay Christie (Blues) - Missing rd 7 due to a groin injury. Source.
Rob Rush (Blues) - Missing rd 7 due to a calf injury. Source.
Cam Suafoa (Blues) - Missing rd 7 with illness. Source.
Kade Banks (Blues) - Missing rd 7 due to a concussion. Source.
Likely Back for Round 7:
Will Harris (Force) - Missed last week with a concussion. Source.
Siosifa Amone (Force) - Dislocated his thumb in training and had surgery to repair his ligaments Feb 19th. 6-8-week return to play so rds 7-9. Source.
Marley Pearce (Force) - Was cited after rd 1 for his dangerous tackle on Jordie Barrett. Giving a 4 game ban putting his return as last week. Source.
Andy Muirhead (Brumbies) - Injured his knee in rd 4, expected to be back rd 7-8 depending on which source you read. Source. Source.
Matt Proctor (Rebels) - Came off injured in rd 2. Expected to take roughly a month to return after rushing back from his last injury which puts him his return roughly around rd 7. Source.
Isoa Nasilasila (Drua) - Came off with an ankle injury in rd 2 that was expected to keep him out for 3-4 weeks so he may be back this week. Source.
Tupou Vaa’i (Chiefs) - Expected to return from a concussion sustained in rd 5. Source.
Suetena Asomua (Moana) - Unavailable for round 2 due to injury. Source.
Viliami Fine (Moana) - Came off injured in rd 2.
Returned in Round 6:
Will Harrison (Waratahs) - Finally made his comeback after missing two years of footy with knee injuries.
Lalakai Foketi (Waratahs) - Returned from a bad looking neck injury in rd 1.
Filipo Daugunu (Rebels) - Made his return after pulling himself from the last two weeks due to a pay dispute.
Jordan Petaia (Reds) - Returned from concussion on the wing.
Ethan de Groot (Chiefs) - Returned from concussion.
Anton Lienert-Brown (Chiefs) - Returned from a concussion.
Rieko Ioane (Blues) - Returned from concussion.
Max Hicks (Highlanders) - Returned in rd 6.
Josh Timu (Highlanders) - Returned in rd 6.
Julian Savea (Moana) - Returned from injury this week.
Tom Savage (Moana) - Returned from injury this week.
Quinten Strange (Crusaders) - Returned to the starting after being pulled late last week as a precaution. Source.
Rivez Reihana (Crusaders) - Came off with an AC injury in his shoulder in rd 1. Returned via the bench.
Ongoing Injury List:
AUSTRALIA
Western Force
Harry Hoopert - Sustained a ligament injury in his right knee in training a fortnight ago (as of 20th Feb). Has since undergone surgery and will miss 3-4 months. Source.
Felix Kalapu - Underwent hamstring surgery last week (mid Feb) following a tear in training. Unavailable for the first half of Super Rugby. Source.
Campbell Parata - Recovering from a hamstring injury. Source.
Papillon Sevele - Undergoing rehab in Sydney in preseason for a right ACL injury sustained playing for his club. Source.
Angus Wagner - Unavailable for the first half of Super Rugby following meniscal surgery. Source.
Reesjan Pasitoa - Dislocated his elbow in training and had surgery to repair his ligaments on Monday 19th Feb. Will require a 10-12-week recovery period. Putting his return around early May. Source.
Izack Rodda - Was meant to return from his foot osteotomy in rd 1, then tore his quad in training. Now expected to be out for 6 weeks. Source. As of rd 5 “still a few weeks away". Source.
Michael Wells - Out of round 4 with a knee injury. Waiting on scans to determine the severity of his injury. Source.
Jeremy Williams - Injured his calf in rd 5 and is expected to miss 2-3 weeks. Source.
Brumbies
Allan Alaalatoa - Ruptured his Achilles end of July. Returns around 9 months post-op, now aiming to return late in April. Source.
Connal McInerney - Said to be out for an extended period of time before 2024 begins. Source.
Ben O'Donnell - Still a couple of weeks away from returning from a torn ACL before rd 5. Source.
Ed Kennedy - Missing the preseason with an infection. Racing the clock to be fit for round one. Source.
Len Ikitau - Came off with an injury to some ligaments in his knee in rd 4. Waiting on scan results but expected to miss roughly 4 weeks. Source.
Blake Schoupp - Came off with an AC joint injury in rd 4. Hoping to be back for rd 8 after their bye. Source.
Reds
Massimo De Lutiis - Out of Trial 1 with a hamstring injury and still out for rd 1 of the regular season. Source.
Connor Anderson - Out of Trial 1 with an ankle injury and still out for rd 1 of the regular season. Source.
Sef Fa’agase - Has been banned for 4 weeks in rd 3 so won’t return until round 8. Source.
Isaac Henry - Tore his patella tendon in rd 4 and will miss the rest of the season. Roughly a 9 month injury. Source.
James O’Connor - Suffered a hamstring tendon injury in preseason. Even the more conservative timelines had him returning this week. Source.
Alex Hodgman - Came off with a shoulder injury in rd 2. THey said he was likely to miss 3-4 weeks putting his return around Rd 6-7 although we haven’t heard confirmation recently. Source.
Rebels
Brad Wilkin - Has a grade three hamstring tear and had surgery on the 8th of March. Likely out for 10 weeks (to the season). Source.
Andrew Kellaway - Came off at halftime in rd 5 after struggling with what looked like a hip injury. Aiming to play rd 8.
Waratahs
Mesu Kunavula – Knee, will be out for the season. Source.
Tom Lambert - Had surgery the week of Feb 12th after damaging his meniscus in his knee in a rolling maul. Was originally said to be a 3 month return but he is now listed as out for the year. Source.
Archer Holz - Aiming to return from a shoulder injury in round 8. Source.
Dave Porecki - Picked up an Achilles injury in the preseason. Was aiming to be back by round 4 at the earliest but now it looks like he is targeting round 10. Source.
NEW ZEALAND
The All Blacks are on leave until early February. Although not confirmed, this may delay their entry into the SR Pacific competition.
Highlanders
Will Tucker - Injured and aiming to return in mid-April. Source.
Mitch Dunshea - Recovering from an Achilles Rupture and repair, aiming to return in April. Source.
Thomas Umaga-Jensen - Had an ACL rupture and repair mid-September. A 9-month recovery puts him back in mid-June so he is likely gone for the season. Source.
Connor McLeod - Injured his ACL around rd 2 and needs surgery. Will be out for 9-12 months. Source.
Blair Ryall - Tore his MCL after rd 2 out will be out for three months. Source.
Hugh Renton - Suffered a high ankle sprain in rd 3. Expected to be out for 6 weeks. Source.
Tanielu Tele’a - Red carded for a lazy high tackle in rd 5. Has been banned for 3 weeks so will return in rd 9-10 depending on if he can count the bye week. Source.
Jermaine Ainsley - Injured his back at the end of rd 5. Source.
Chiefs
Gideon Wrampling - Is a couple more weeks away (leading into rd 1) as he recovers from an elbow injury. Source.
Kaleb Trask - is still managing a long-term injury and has now been replaced in the official squad. Source.
Hurricanes
Jacob Devery - Suffered a knee injury in pre-season and didn’t fly to Australia. Source.
Crusaders
Braydon Ennor - Out for the season as he recovers from an ACL reconstruction in August. Apparently, he had an infection in his knee early post-op which has slowed his recovery. He is aiming to play in the back half of 2024. Source.
Fergus Burke - Suffered an Achilles Injury in October. They are optimistic he could return shortly after the team’s round seven bye in mid-April which would be six months. Source. Apparently close to a return before rd 4. Source.
Codie Taylor - Will miss most of Super Rugby by taking a ‘non-playing sabbatical’. They are reporting that he is expected to return a few weeks before the playoffs, but coach Penney didn’t rule out an early return. Source.
Leigh Halfpenny - Tore his pec muscle in the first trial on February 3rd that forcing him from the field in their game with Munster. Expected back in 3-4 months. Source.
Will Jordan - Will go for surgery just before the season kicks off to repair a shoulder that has been a lingering problem since last season. Will miss the entire Super Rugby season. Source.
Ethan Blackadder - Was expected to miss the first three or four games with a calf injury, now apparently he is aiming for rd 8. Source.
Brodie McAlister - Injured his knee in the last trial. Now aiming to return in rd 8. Source.
Tamaiti Williams - Has a “significant” tear in his hamstring from making a break in rd 1. No detail on how long he will be out yet, but they have ruled him out of round 2. Source. They name dropped him as a potential to return after their bye as well. Source.
Manasa Mataele - Pulled pregame rd 3 and then replaced in rd 4. No news on what he did or if he is still injured. Source.
Kershawl Sykes-Martin - Pulled pregame rd 3 and not in the squad for rd 4. No news on what he did or if he is still injured. Source.
Scott Barrett - Broken his finger before round 4, out for the next six weeks. Source.
Owen Franks - Was cited late after rd 4 and banded for 2 weeks for a high tackle. Will miss rounds 5 and 6. Source.
Ryan Crotty - Sustained a minor groin injury during Captain’s Run before rd 5 so was pulled from the team sheet. Source.
David Havili - Missed round 6 after pulling up with calf soreness. Source.
Blues
Sam Darry - Came off with a serious MCL injury in rd 2. Expected to be out for 6-8 weeks. Source.
Jordan Lay - Fractured his ankle in rd 3, had surgery and will be out for the season (3-4 months). Source.
Zarn Sullivan - Came off with a PCL injury in rd 5 and will be sidelined for 6-8 weeks. Source.
PACIFIKA TEAMS
Fiji Drua
Caleb Muntz - Ruptured his ACL in training in September last year. A 9 month post return puts him at mid-June. Source.
Michael Naitokani - Was subbed at halftime in rd 4. No clarify on if it was an injury but wasn’t named in rd 5.
Moana Pasifika
Alamanda Motuga - Unavailable for round 2 due to injury. Source.
James Lay - Unavailable for round 2 due to injury. Source.
Samuel Slade - Unavailable for round 2 due to injury. Source.
Anzelo Tuitavuki - Listed as injured as of round 5. Source.
Henry Taefu - Got injured in rd 4. Source.
Jonathan Taumateine - Listed as injured as of round 5 but hasn’t played this season. Source.
Lalomilo Lalomilo - Listed as injured as of round 5. Source.
Neria Fomai - Listed as injured as of round 5. Source.
Ofa Tauatevalu - Listed as injured as of round 5. Source.
Solomone Funaki - Listed as injured as of round 5. Source.
Gone for the season:
This will be completed during the season.
Have we missed something? Drop a comment or tweet and let us know.
Written by your local rugby nerd Harrison Dale.
From Planet Rugby - The match against Moana proved costly for Vern Cotter’s charges as captain Patrick Tuipulotu and utility back Bryce Heem both suffered head knocks while star fly-half Stephen Perofeta was also forced off the field with a shoulder injury.