Casualty Ward Super Rugby Pacific Rounds 1-2

The Super Rugby Pacific season is about to kick off, which of course means your favourite place to furiously scroll through lists and lists of your favourite player’s injury updates is back! The Casualty Ward is here 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.

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New Injuries Round 1:

Iosefo Masi (Drua) - Limped off after 60 minutes after making a tackle. It could have just bene a cramp, or a right leg injury.
Tiaan Tauakipulu (Force) - Limped off late for the Force with a rib injury. No clarity yet on if it was serious. Source.
Divad Palu (Force) - Out as of rd 2 with a shoulder injury. Source.
Lukhan Salakaia-Loto (Reds) - Will miss at least six weeks as he recovers from a small crack on his fibula. Source.
Feao Fotuaika (Brumbies) - Suffered an ankle injury. Expected back round 3. Source.
Noah Lolesio (Brumbies) - Suffered a concussion. Expected back round 3. Source.
Vilive Miramira (Drua) - Suffered an ankle injury, considered a short term injury). Source.

Noah Hotham (Crusaders) - Suffered an ankle injury early in the game and had to come off. The mechanism made it look like a syndesmosis injury. They have listed his return date as unclear at this stage. Source.
Riley Higgins (Hurricanes) - Apparently broke his hand in two places days before rd 1. He was meant to go for surgery on Friday 14th Feb and is expected to have an extended spell on the sideline. No return date has been set yet. Source.
Isaia Walker-Leawere (Hurricanes) - Picked up an injury in rd 1. Expected back rd 3. Source.
Pone Fa'amausili (Moana) - Listed as injured before round 1 and not listed this week. We assume that means he has recovered but wasn’t picked. Source.

Likely Back for Round 2:

Liam Wright (Reds) - Recovering well from his shoulder operation. His conservative return date was always round 2. Considering he went on the UK tour (but didn’t play), we think he must have been close enough for them to think he could have if needed. Source.
Filipo Daugunu (Reds) - Got a bad concussion in their trial on the 8th of Feb, a fortnight out from their first game (they have a bye in rd 1). However he was eventually able to walk off, suggesting his cognitive function and recovered quickly. World rugby says he can’t play for at least 12 days, which means he is still a good chance of playing in rd 2. Source.
Charlie Cale (Brumbies) - Had a big shoulder operation after the July internationals. Back this week, a week earlier than expected.

Billy Proctor (Hurricanes) - Has an Achilles injury that kept him out of rd 1 and 2. We thought he was a good chance to return in rd 2 but not to be. He is training with the team so it isn’t a tendon tear, which means he has a tendinopathy (overload pathology). Source.
Hoskins Sotutu (Blues) - Back in rd 2 from his knee injury.

Returned in Round 1:

Iosefo Masi (Drua) - Returned from his torn hamstring.
Jake Gordon (Waratahs) - Played despite limping off in the final trial.
Atu Moli (Force)- Came off the bench for the Force in their last-minute win.
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii (Waratahs) - Played after being a late withdrawal from the Brumbies trial with a knee injury.

Dallas McLeod (Crusaders) - Suffered a pointer in the last trial, which is essentially a bone bruise to the pelvis. Recovered well enough to play off the bench in rd 1.

Ongoing Injury List:

AUSTRALIA

Brumbies
Rob Valetini - “Tweaked” his hamstring in January during training. Is expected to miss the first month of Super Rugby with no strict return date set yet. This timeline suggests he has at least got a moderate tear, which is a 4-6 week injury. They have not set a return date. Source.
David Feliuai - Forced from the field in their final trial with a finger injury. Should be back round 3. Source.
Ben O’Donnell - Out with a hamstring injury as of 12th Feb. Return date is TBC but considered a long term injury. Source.
Tevita Alatini - Out with an ACL injury as of 12th Feb. Return date is TBC but considered a long term injury. Source.
Harry Vella - Out with an ACL injury as of 12th Feb. Return date is TBC but considered a long term injury. Source.

Reds
Jeffery Toomaga-Allen - Missed the UK tour with a knee injury. Pushing to return in rd 3. Source.
Matt Gibbon (Reds) - Listed as injured for rd 2. Source.
Isaac Henry (Reds) - Listed as injured for rd 2. Source.
Will McCulloch (Reds) - Listed as injured for rd 2. Source.
Mason Gordon (Reds) - Listed as injured for rd 2. Source.
Alex Hodgman (Reds) - Listed as injured for rd 2. Source.
Jude Gibbs (Reds) - Listed as injured for rd 2. Source.

Waratahs
Fergus Lee-Warner - Got injured in Japan over two months ago and won’t be available to start the season. We aren’t sure how long he is out for. Source.
Angelo Smith - We have heard that he hasn’t been at Waratahs training which would rule him out, but we aren’t completely sure if this is accurate.
Jack Barrett - Out with a leg injury as of round 1. Source.
Lucas Ripley - Out with a shoulder injury as of round 1. Source.

Western Force
Kurtley Beale - Ruptured his Achilles on the 29th of June last year playing club footy for Randwick. He has been given a contract with the Force while he finishes rehab, which normally takes 7-9 months. A conservative return would have him playing around the beginning of April. Source.
Papillon Sevele - Out with a knee injury. We aren’t sure how long he will be out for. Source.
Bayley Kuenzle - August 2024 it was said he was set to miss almost a year through a serious knee injury (we assume an ACL rupture). Even a 9-month return would have him back around April. Source.
Kane Koteka - Returns for the Brumbies trial. Now out with a rib injury for at least the first 2 weeks. Source.
Matt Proctor - Out with a shoulder injury. No clarity on a return date. Source.
Henry Robertson - Out with a rib injury. No clarity on a return date. Source.

NEW ZEALAND
Blues
Kurt Eklund - Currently out with a groin injury. Source.
PJ Sheck - Currently out with a shoulder injury. Source.
Zarn Sullivan - Currently out with a foot injury. Source.
Stephen Perofeta - Currently out with a calf injury. Source.
Ben Ake - Currently out with a shoulder injury. Source.

Chiefs
Wallace Sititi - Is set to miss a major part of the Super Rugby campaign after suffering a knee injury in the Autumn Series, with fears he could be out for the entire season. He had an operation on his meniscus on the 17th of January. Source.
Liam Coombes Fabling - Suffered a knee injury. Out for 4-6 weeks as of rd 2. Source.
Fiti Sa - Has a long term injury as of rd 2. Source.
Samisoni Taukei'aho - Back in full training from the start of Feb, originally targeting a round 3 return from his Achilles rupture, now pushed back to rds 4-6. Source.
Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi - Has a shoulder injury. Listed as a short term injury as of rd 2. Source.

Crusaders
Seb Calder - Suffered an AC joint injury (shoulder) against the Blues in the first 20 minutes of their trial. Will miss the first 3-4 weeks, hopefully back after the bye. Source. Source.
Johnny McNicholl - Out with a hamstring tear. Aiming to return after the first 4-6 weeks. Source.
Rivez Reihana - Out with an ankle injury. Will miss the first 3 weeks, hopefully back after the bye (rd 4). Source.
Quinten Strange - Out with a pec and hamstring tear, Aiming for rd 5. Source.
Codie Taylor - Tore his hamstring in preseason training in late Jan. Will miss the first two to three weeks of Super Rugby, then return after their round 3 bye. Source.
Braydon Ennor - Had off-season wrist surgery, we thought he was aiming for a return in round 4 but now they are saying his return date is unclear. Source.
Kershawl Sykes-Martin - Injured his MCL injury in his knee which he sustained in the last trial on Feb 6th. Will miss 5-6 weeks, so he will return around round 5. Source.
Fletcher Anderson - Out with a heel injury for the first 2-3 weeks. Source.
Dom Gardiner - Out with a hamstring injury for the first 5-7 weeks. Source.
Jamie Hannah - Out as he recovers from shoulder surgery for the first 5 weeks. Source.
Aki Tuivailala - Out with Finger surgery. Expected back after 5 weeks. Source.

Highlanders
Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens - Suffers fractured neck in Ranfurly Shield win in early October which required surgery. Source. Out for at least 6 months but they haven’t ruled him out for the season yet, they are now saying maybe round 9-10. Source.
Thomas Umaga-Jensen - Missed the final trial with a shoulder injury. Will be miss the first 2 weeks. Source.
Oliver Haig - Out with a foot injury. Expected back rd 10. Source.
Jonah Lowe - Out with a ACL injury. Expected back rd 8. Source.
TK Howden - Out with a hamstring injury. Expected back rd 5. Source.
Jona Nareki - Out with an ankle injury. Expected back rd 6. Source.

Hurricanes
Ruben Love - Underwent Ankle Surgery around the 18th of December. Expected recovery time is 3-4 months, Return has been pushed back from rd 5 to 7. Source. Source.
Lucas Cashmore - Has a significant MCL injury that will sideline the Blues recruit until rd 7 (better than the initial expectation of rd 10). Source.
Tjay Clarke - Also out for several weeks to begin the season. Source.
Tyrel Lomax - Has a stress fracture and won’t play the final trials. Aiming to play round 6. Source.
Asafo Aumua - Still recovering from foot surgery so won’t play until round three. Source.
Zach Gallagher - Has an Achilles injury. Return is listed as TBC. We don’t know if it is an overload issue or a tear. Source.
Daniel Sinkinson - Has a hamstring injury. Won’t be back until round 8-10. Source.
Devan Flanders - Out with a suspected broken leg from training (they called it an ankle injury which makes me worry it is a fracture dislocation that will keep him out for a long time). Currently return date is listed as TBC. Source.

PASIFIKA TEAMS

Fijian Drua
Etonia Waqa - Out with a knee injury before rd 1, considered a short-term injury. Source.
Epeli Momo - Out with a knee injury before rd 1, considered a long-term injury. Source.
Selestino Ravutaumada - Had a shoulder reconstruction in the off season. Is targeting a round 4 return. Source.

Moana Pasifika
Lotu Inisi - Listed as injured before round 1 and 2 with a hamstring injury. Source.
Fine Inisi - Listed as injured before round 1 and 2 with a hamstring injury. Source.

Gone for the season:

Harry Johnson-Holmes (Force) - Recovered from his Achilles rupture. Then tore his ACL warming up to play the trial against the Brumbies. Won’t play the entire season. Source.
Harry Hoopert (Force) - Is recovering from an ACL injury and won’t play any Super Rugby in 2025. Source.

Neria Fomai (Moana) - Will miss the entire 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season recovering from an ACL reconstruction. Source.
Tom Sanders (Highlanders) - Unavailable for the 2025 season due to injury. Source.
Josh Timu (Highlanders) - Unavailable for the 2025 season due to injury. Source.
Brett Cameron (Hurricanes) - He is recovering from an ACL injury suffered in the recent NPC season, he is expected to miss the full Super Rugby season. Source.
Finlay Brewis (Crusaders) - One of two props who suffered a shoulder injury against the Blues in the first 20 minutes of their trial. Needs surgery, so he will be out for the season. Source.
George Bell (Crusaders) - Injured his big toe in their trial on 6th Feb. Will require surgery to his plantar plate and is expected to be out for the season. Will be out for 16-20 weeks. Source.
Sam Darry (Blues) - Will miss the Blues‘ entire Super Rugby Pacific season due to a shoulder injury sustained at the end of January. He will need shoulder surgery and will be out for 5 months. Source.

Have we missed something? Drop a comment or tweet and let us know.

Written by your local rugby nerd Harrison Dale.