‘Nature of the game,’ says coach Dave Rennie about crocked All Blacks players
The All Blacks have lost four players permanently from the squad, and could lose more ahead of their RGR opener against the Springboks.
All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie addressed the growing list of injured players in his squad ahead of their upcoming Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry (RGR) Test against the Springboks. To date, four players have been permanently lost due to injury since the team's arrival in the country, with a few others facing uncertainties heading into the four Tests and a game against the Lions.
Those who had to return home early included Ollie Norris (knee injury), George Bell (head injury), Billy Proctor (injury from a collision), and Caleb Clarke (injury). Backup scrumhalf Cortez Ratima, who has played in all three tour games, is now at risk of being ruled out due to a posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injury. Other players with minor issues but expected to feature include Damian McKenzie, Cam Roigard, and Will Jordan.
Rennie elaborated on the injury situation, stating that Ratima's injury has been scanned and will be monitored for 48 hours. They expect Cam Roigard to be ready for the weekend and hope that McKenzie will be running by tomorrow. Rennie emphasized that injuries are an unfortunate part of the game, affecting every team, and can occur at any time during matches or training sessions.
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