The Casualty Ward Preseason

Wondering how the Super Rugby Casualty Ward looks before we kick this season off? Well wonder no more!

Preseason Injury List:

NEW ZEALAND Highlanders Richard Buckman - Neck injury - Not sure how bad yet James Lentjes -  Shoulder injury in last preseason game – back in April

Hurricanes Dane Coles - ACL Start of December, return in "4-6 months" so probably getting a synthetic LARS graft. These have higher rupture rates. So he has a higher risk of reinjury and will probably be undercooked on return. AVOID. Ihaia West - Rumoured to start at flyhalf to start the season while Jordie is injured. Beauden would play fullback. Jordie Barrett - Shoulder Injury - back earliest Rd 3- most likely Rd 6 (some say earliest Rd4) Nehe Milner-Skudder - Shoulder reconstruction - Back in May. Chris Eves - Shoulder stinger in last trial "No long term damage"

Chiefs Mitchell Graham - Out for first 6 weeks, had screws removed from old leg fracture operation Sam McNicol - Recurrent Concussions - going through the normal protocol Atu Moli - Playing very limited minutes in last trial coming back from last years foot injury. Sounds like this is an irritable one. Tim Nanai-Williams - Injured shoulder in final trial against Brumbies - waiting on injury update

Crusaders Owen Franks - Achilles rupture in September for NZ-  Targeting 21st April (Rd 10) Israel Dagg - Knee Injury from 2017. Targeting 21st April Rd 10 Joe Moody  - Shoulder injury - Targeting 21st April Rd 10

Blues Stephen Perofeta - Back in Rd 7 after the Bye - Broken Hand in trial against chiefs Blake Gibson - injured, apparently should be right for Rd 1 but there isn't much info out there. Jerome Kaino - Knee injury against Hurricanes in the last trial Jimmy Tupou - Leg injury in preseason against hurricanes

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AUSTRALIA Waratahs Ben McCalman - 4th Fractured Scapula (Shoulder blade) in 2 years, Waratahs want a medical before signing him. Nick Phipps - Calf injury Feb 7th, Back for Rd 3 or 4 - probably gives the start to Jake Gordon for now. Ned Hanigan - Grd 1 MCL (same knee as last year) in 2nd last trial - should be right for Rd 2. Jack Dempsey - Hamstring Injury - Back week 9 Sekope Kepu - Suspension, Back Rd 4 - shoulder to the head against Scotland in 2017 Cameron Clark - Torn Hamstring in Brizzy 10s, in doubt for Rd 1, Likely Rd 4-5 Damien Fitzpatrick - Knee injury in preseason against rebels Rob Simmons – Concussion in last trial against rebels

Brumbies David Pocock - Knee Op - Back Rd 7 (could be Rds 4-9)

Reds Karmichael Hunt - Cocaine trial just before game 1 - hasn't been allowed to train with the team and if convicted his contract will be torn up. Stay away for now! Ben Lucas - Minor knee surgery, missing last trial, likely Rd 1 George Smith - Back surgery - back April 7th against Brumbies In Rd 8 Quade Cooper - unwanted by reds but still contracted - unlikely to see him play this season.

Rebels Jordy Reid - apparently injured - set for early season return Bill Meakes - Foot surgery to rule him out of the early season. Will Genia - ongoing back problems - pulled out of both the Brizzy 10s and the final trial because it isn't settling. Looks problematic! Marika Koroibete - Knee injury - no other news other than that it looks like it happened a while ago. Richard Hardwick - Knee injury

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SOUTH AFRICA Sharks Jean-Luc du Preez - Ankle inj in Currie Cup final - likely to return early march Louis Schreuder - Hamstring injury in preseason, will miss the first month of competition. Leolin Zas - Not coming back well from injury - flown to Switzerland to try and get better. Louis Schreuder – Hamstring injury, out for 4 weeks

Stormers Scarra Ntubeni - Hamstring injury in preseason. Jan de Klerk - Knee injury? SP Marais - Expected back for the tour in Rd 2. Pieter-Steph du Toit - Missing Rd 1, managing back injury for springboks Frans Malherbe - Neck Injury - no return date set (as of 15th Feb) - at least missing until after the tour (Rd 5) Jean-Luc du Plessis - Op Dec 1st GROIN, back ~ 15th March Daniel du Plessis - Shoulder Inj - back ~15th March Likely starting Centre with De Allende Eben Etzebeth - Shoulder Injury, Back around 18th May! ! RD11?

Lions Courtnall Skosan - ACL in January - Originally gone until start of July/Aug at earliest - now saying ~10weeks so could be back mid April. This only works if they are planning on not reconstructing his ACL, which is a huge risk in rugby union. Avoid him like the plague! Andries Ferreira - I've heard he is injured? Can't find anymore info though. Jaco Kriel - Shoulder Op - Should be back Rd 3-4 Ruan Combrinck - Shoulder surgery - return Mid April

Bulls Travis Ismaiel - Concussion in preseason - No word on his return but rumours are that they are being very careful. Rudy Paige - cut from the squad Ruan Steenkamp - Knee - back mid feb? Jamba Ulengo - Knee is cactus - flying to Switzerland for treatment Ivan van Zyl - Shoulder Injury - returned for Rd 2

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ARGENTINA/JAPAN Jaguares Tomás Cubelli - Fractured neck vertebra, back end of april/start of may Jerónimo de la Fuente - Muscle tear - likely back after rd 3 Santiago Garcia Botta - Rib Injury against Argentina XV Matías Moroni - Shoulder operation - back early april?

Sunwolves Kenki Fukuoka - Injured for 4 weeks – ongoing knee injury

OUT FOR THE SEASON:

Otere Black (Blues) - ACL reconstruction Coenie Oosthuizen (Sharks) - ACL reconstruction Enrique Pieretto (Jaguares) - ACL Reconstruction Reggie Goodes – Retired due to concussion

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

Written by Harrison Dale