Casualty Ward Super Rugby Pacific Rounds 1-2
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 1:
Angus Bell (Waratahs) - Reruptured the same ligament on his toe that kept him out of the end of 2022. Expected to be out for the entire Super Rugby season with a worst case 6 month return. Source.
Lachlan Lonergan (Brumbies) - Pulled from the bench pregame. The suspicion is it was due to illness and that he will be back next week. Thanks to Nathan Williamson.
Connal McInerney (Brumbies) - Came off very early in the game with a concussion. Will go through the return to play protocols.
Folau Fainga'a (Force) - Pulled from the side very late in the piece with an achilles tendon issue. No guarantee to return next week. Source.
Manasa Mataele (Force) - Pulled from the side very late in the piece with an achilles tendon issue. No guarantee to return next week, the fact that 2 players have the same issue speaks to some potential load management issues in preseason. Source.
Feleti Kaitu'u (Force) - Came off in the first half with a hamstring injury. Source.
Sam Spink (Force) - Looked to have pinged his hammy when making a break at the end of the first half. Source.
Michael Wells (Force) - Limped off with what looked like a mild left ankle injury.
Isaac Henry (Reds) - Fractured his hand in round 1. We expect he will be out for 4-6 weeks. Source.
Sosefo ‘Apikotoa (Moana) - Pulled pregame. Apparently, he was injured at training during the week.
Ezekiel Lindenmuth (Moana) - Pulled pregame. Apparently, he was injured at training during the week.
Emosi Tuqiri (Drua) - Injured his ankle in the first half. Soldiered on until halftime but didn't look comfortable and was subbed at the break.
Jone Koroiduadua (Drua) - Came off with a concussion in the second half.
Etene Nanai-Seturo (Chiefs) - Pulled from the side pregame because he pulled up with hamstring soreness. Special shout out to Ollie Ritchie for the scoop.
Anton Lienert-Brown (Chiefs) - Rolled his ankle in the game. Mentioned on his instagram that he should be right in 3-5 weeks. Source.
Cullen Grace (Crusader) - Came off early. Has gone for an x-ray on his collarbone. The same one he broke last year. Source.
Fletcher Newell (Crusaders) - Missing round 2 with a knee and foot injury. Source.
Jona Nareki (Highlanders) - Has a bone stress injury in his foot. Apparently he is expected to miss the first four to six weeks. Source.
Marino Mikaele Tu'u (Highlanders) - Came off with a fractured rib injury in the first couple of minutes of the game. Out for 4-7 weeks. Source.
Shannon Frizell (Highlanders) - Sitting out for the All Black's rest week in round 2. Source.
Ethan de Groot (Highlanders) - Sitting out for the All Black's rest week in round 2. Source.
Akira Ioane (Blues) - Limped off after 28 minutes with a left knee injury. Expected to be out for a couple of months. Source.
Devan Flanders (Hurricanes) - Out of round 2 as he goes through through the concussion protocols from round 1. Source.
Likely back for Round 2:
Jesse Mogg (Brumbies) - Returned from injury mid-preseason trial after suffering a season-ending knee injury last year.
James O'Connor (Reds) - On the comeback trail from his ankle surgery, missed rd 1 despite originally aiming to play 3 weeks earlier. Source.
Luke Jones (Reds) - Struggling with a neck injury, was always a maybe for round 1. Source.
Liam Wright (Reds) - Missed round 1 with a concussion. Source.
Jock Campbell (Reds) - Expected to miss the opening round, as he recovers from an ankle injury suffered against Scotland during last year’s Spring Tour. Source.
Suliasi Vunivalu (Reds) - Back after rolling his ankle in the last trial.
Joey Walton (Waratahs) - Had an operation to clean out a disc in his lower back. As of the end of January, he was 6 weeks away which would mean he is aiming for a round 2-3 return. Source.
Ned Hanigan (Waratahs) - Came off with a knee injury in the Feb 11th trial when Dane Zander fell awkardly on his knee. Looking like an MCL type injury. Aiming to return round 2-4. Source.
Tiaan Tauakipulu (Waratahs) - Has a knee injury from the preseason. Aiming to be back in round 2 or 3. Source.
Dylan Pietsch (Waratahs) - Went down in the trial against the Brumbies on the 4th of Feb with a quad tear. Expected back rd 2-3. Source.
Folau Fainga'a (Force) - Back after missing rd 1 with an achilles tendon issue.
Manasa Mataele (Force) - Back after missing rd 1 with an achilles tendon issue.
Ezekiel Lindenmuth (Moana) - Returns to the squad after being ruled out on match day last week with a neck injury. Source.
Lotu Inisi (Moana) - Back from ankle injury. Source.
Ray Niuia (Moana) - Back from a neck injury. Source.
Tom Robinson (Blues) - missed the last trial with illness and didn't recover for rd 1. Bracketed to play this week. Source.
James Lay (Blues) - Missed rd 1 with an ankle injury. Named to play in round 2.
Sam Whitelock (Crusaders) - Missing round 1 with a concussion. Expected back for round 2. Source.
Etene Nanai-Seturo (Chiefs) - Pulled from the side pregame rd 1 because he pulled up with hamstring soreness. Back this week.
Returned in Round 1:
Josh Kemeny (Rebels) - Made a comeback from an ACL reconstruction.
Angus Bell (Waratahs) - Returned from injuring his plantar (underside) ligament in his big toe which required surgery.
Lachlan Swinton (Waratahs) - Suffered nerve damage in his shoulder in round 1 last year which ended his year. Looked fit on his return.
Izaia Perese (Waratahs) - Made his return after recovering from a patella tendon rupture.
Ryan Smith (Reds) - Fell awkwardly on his shoulder in the preseason but recovered quickly enough to start.
Mike McKee (Moana) - Missed the final trial with a shoulder injury but returned off the bench.
Henry Taefu (Moana) - Missed the final trial because he was sick, took his place on the bench.
Alamanda Motuga (Moana) - Missed the final trial with a shoulder injury but he was fit for rd 1.
Folau Fakatava (Highlanders) - Reinjured his ACL last year and decided to try to recover without surgery to give himself a chance of playing in the RWC. Amazingly made the comeback for round 1.
Mitch Hunt (Highlanders) - Suffered a concussion in May last year and only just recovered for round 1.
Mitch Dunshea (Crusaders) - Had his MCL (knee) repaired through surgery on the 29th of March and missed the season. Will be bursting at the seams for round 1. Source.
Joe Moody (Crusaders) - Ruptured his ACL in April last year. Started for the Crusaders this week.
Jack Goodhue (Crusaders) - Had surgery in August to clean up something in the knee he had reconstructed a year earlier. Looked fit but not at full speed yet.
Codie Taylor (Crusaders) - Came off with a stinger after landing awkwardly on his shoulder in the final trial. It didn't look to affect him in the game.
Beauden Barrett (Blues) - Returned from an illness that caused him to miss the last trial.
Aidan Ross (Chiefs) - Missing round 2 with a bruised calf. Source.
Ongoing Injury List:
AUSTRALIA
Western Force
Izack Rodda - Broke his foot again in the final trial against the Drua. His return time hasn't been set yet but it wouldn't surprise us if he misses at least the first six weeks. Source.
Ryan McCauley - Suffered a pre-season shoulder injury. Source.
Brumbies
Tom Hooper - Suffered a potentially serious foot injury on the Feb 11 trial. Source. Was seen in a cast and not weight-bearing at the final trial so we think he will be out for at least 3 months.
Reds
Spencer Jeans - Broke his leg around the start of January and is targeting a round three return. Thanks to Nic Darveniza for the tip!
Angus Blyth - Has an high ankle (syndesmosis) injury. Expected to miss the first month of Super Rugby. Source.
Wilson Blyth - Suffering with a knee injury, expecting to miss the first couple of rounds of Super Rugby. Source.
Conor Vest - Suffering a thumb injury, expecting to miss the first couple of rounds of Super Rugby. Source.
Josh Nasser - On his way back from his shoulder reconstruction, is expected to be back for round 3. Source.
Rebels
Matt Philip - Ruptured his ACL at training on October 19th meaning he will miss almost the entire season. Source.
Rob Leota - Ruptured his Achilles against the All Blacks in September 15th. Expected to miss the bulk of Super Rugby. Source.
Andrew Kellaway - Has started to run early in Feb on his comeback from his foot fracture. He is aiming to play before his original target of round 6. Source.
Ray Nu’u - Helped off with a right knee injury on Feb 11. No word yet on the severity. Source.
Waratahs
Harry Johnson-Holmes - Ruptured his Achilles in Wallabies camp before the July test. Aiming to return by rd 3-4. Source.
Will Harrison - Had a big multi-ligament knee injury during Super Round early in 2022 and had surgery on his patella and MCL. Aiming to in round 3. 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
Fabian Holland - Dislocated his kneecap in the 2nd week of January. With an estimated 8 week recovery he is now in doubt for the start of the season (8 weeks would be a round 3 return). Source. Hopeful of returning to training after round 2. Source.
Hugh Renton - Injured, Hopeful of returning to training after round 2. Source.
Fetuli Paea - Injured, Hopeful of returning to training after round 2. Source.
Scott Gregory - Currently out as of rd 2 with a knee injury. Source.
James Arscott - Currently out as of round 2 with a knee injury. Source.
Vilimoni Koroi - Currently out as of round 2 with a knee injury. Source.
Marty Banks - Currently out as of round 2 with a groin injury. Source.
Jeff Thwaites - Currently out as of round 2 with a back injury. Source.
Chiefs
Quinn Tupaea - Tore his ACL late in September. Probably won't be back until late June. Source.
Josh Lord - Tore his ACL on the 14th of June. That puts his return around mid march, but it could very a lot.
Atu Moli - Came off injured after 5 minutes in the Feb 18th trial with a shoulder injury. He was interviewed post-game and said he was okay.
Emoni Narawa - Not considered for round 1 due to injury. Source.
Ngantungane Punivai - Not considered for round 1 due to injury. Source.
Hurricanes
TJ Perenara - Ruptured his Achilles on the 20th of November playing against England. Originally planning on an August return, he is well ahead of schedule and will try to return towards the end of Super Rugby around late April. Source. Our opinion is that this is far too early and at absolute best, we might see him in early May.
Ruben Love - Has been battling a groin issue and is still a couple of weeks away at a minimum (won't be back until rd 3 at the earliest). Source.
Brett Cameron - Has a grade 2 calf tear and looks likely for round 3. Source.
Reed Prinsep - Limped off with an Achilles injury in the last trial. Source. Apparently not a full rupture. Source.
Justin Sangster - Dislocating his thumb in the final trial against the Crusaders. Source.
Crusaders
Oli Jager - Sustained a neck injury late in the NPC in 2022 which required surgery. As of the start of Feb he is back in the gym but won't start contact or scrummaging until cleared by the specialist. Source.
Will Jordan - Progressing his involvement in training with his migraine-related condition diagnosed late last year. Symptoms are not concussion related & he is working towards a return to play for the Crusaders, but the exact time-frame of this is uncertain. Source.
Blues
Tanielu Tele'a - Ruptured ACL in May last year and missed the rest of the season. That puts round one about 9 months after the injury so without any updates he may be at risk of missing the start of the season. Source.
Sam Nock - Withdrew from the Feb 11 trial with a calf injury. Source.
Sam Darry - Came to Thursday 16th’s season launch wearing a knee brace. We don't have more details yet but we expect he must be at least 2-4 weeks away from playing if that is the case. Source.
Harry Plummer - Missed rd 1 with a rib injury. Source.
Alex Hodgman - Missed rd 1 with illness so we assume he will be back. Source.
PACIFIKA TEAMS
Fiji Drua
Simione Kuruvoli - Injured his shoulder in the Autumn internationals which required surgery, will miss almost the entire 2023 season. Source.
Meli Derenalagi - Apparently recovered from his ACL injury before rd 1but didn't play. Source.
Vilive Miramira - Back, before rd 1 but didn't play. Source.
Meli Tuni - Back, before rd 1 but didn't play. Source.
Moana Pasifika
Sekope Kepu - Snapped his Achilles in September. Isn't expected back until sometime in March. Hoping to be back in rd 3. Source.
Niko Jones - Missed the final trial with a knee injury. Source.
Jonathan Taumateine - Missed the final trial with a Hamstring injury. Source.
Jack Lam - Missed the final trial with an ankle injury. Source.
Penitoa Finau - Missed the final trial with a foot injury. Source.
Tima Fainga’anuku - Missed the final trial with a concussion. Source.
Gone for the season:
Taniela Tupou (Reds) - Ruptured his Achilles on November 20 and won't play in Super rugby 2023. Source.
Harry Hoopert (Reds) - Ruptured his ACL playing for Australia A on October 8th. Will miss the 2023 season. Source.
Kurtley Beale (Waratahs) - Has been stood down until his legal battle is finished. The next court date is March 22nd so he won't be seen before then. Source.
Alivereti Veitokani (Drua) - Still hasn't been able to travel to Australia to have his knee reconstruction so is still at least 9 -12 months away from playing again.
Vinaya Habosi (Drua) - Cut from the team immediately on February 7th due to a high-level breach of the club's code of conduct. Source.
Reuben O'Neill (Chiefs) - Missed 2022 through injury and has once again been ruled out for the year.
Angus Ta'avao (Chiefs) - Out for the 2023 season after injuring his neck which required surgery in the NPC in October. Source.
Xavier Roe (Chiefs) - Opted to have shoulder surgery for a niggling injury. This will rule him out for the season. Source.
Luca Inch (Highlanders) - Ruled out for the season. Source.
Have we missed something? Drop a comment or tweet and let us know.
Written by your local rugby nerd Harrison Dale.