ALL BLACKS INJURY TOLL MOUNTS AS STAR FORWARD JOINS WALLACE SITITI ON THE SIDELINES WHILE ANOTHER TEST FORWARD TO MISS ENTIRE SUPER RUGBY PACIFIC SEASON

The Blues’ and Crusaders’ Super Rugby Pacific campaigns suffered setbacks when All Blacks forward duo Sam Darry and Codie Taylor sustained injuries before the start of the tournament.

Darry (shoulder) and Taylor (hamstring) are the latest All Blacks struck down by injuries after back-row star Wallace Sititi was ruled out of the majority of the Chiefs’ Super Rugby Pacific season after undergoing surgery on a knee injury.

Rookie lock Darry, who made his All Blacks debut in 2024, will miss the Blues‘ entire Super Rugby Pacific season due to an injury sustained at training last week.

The 24-year-old’s problem has been assessed and will require surgery. It is expected that Darry will be sidelined for five months but he should be fit in time for the All Blacks selection window, which kicks off with a three-Test series against France in New Zealand in July.

‘One of those crazy little things that happen at training’

“It was just one of those crazy little things that happen at training,” said Blues head coach Vern Cotter. “It’s really unfortunate for Sam. We’ll miss him and we wish him all the best with his recovery.”

After making his Blues debut in 2021, Darry’s game has come on leaps and bounds and he caught the eye with several outstanding performances for the Auckland-based outfit during their Super Rugby Pacific title-winning campaign in 2024.

Darry’s superb form impressed the All Blacks selectors and he eventually made his Test debut against Fiji in San Diego last year.

He went on to make five further appearances for the All Blacks and his absence will be a huge blow for the Blues, although Cotter believes he has enough depth in his squad to cover Darry’s absence.

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“We’ve got Tristan Cook, who’s impressed us through North Harbour,” Cotter told Radio New Zealand. “He’s a big tall player. He can take and dominate lineouts.

“It’s an opportunity for him to step up now. So one down, another one can hopefully do the job.”

Meanwhile, Crusaders head coach Rob Penney confirmed they will be without experienced All Blacks hooker Taylor for the start of Super Rugby Pacific after he injured his hamstring during the Christchurch-based franchise’s pre-season preparations.

Taylor to miss the Crusaders’ first two games

Taylor is set to miss the opening two rounds of Super Rugby Pacific but should be ready for action after the Crusaders have a bye in Round Three of the competition.

The 33-year-old is joined on the sidelines by All Blacks utility back Braydon Ennor, who had off-season surgery on his hand but, like Taylor, he should return to action after consultation with a surgeon this week.

Ennor’s return will be a boost for the Crusaders after he missed their entire 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season due to a knee injury.

“You look through it, it’s just the nature of the beast,” Penney told Stuff. “I don’t want to revisit last year, but I feel as though we’re in a much better place across the board with our depth and with who is going to be available for us rounds one and two.

“We’re into a bye, and then we’ve got a bit of a tsunami of people coming back after that bye, which is going to be awesome for us.”

The 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season kicks off on February 14 when the Crusaders host the Hurricanes in Christchurch and the Blues will be in action in Auckland on February 15 against the Chiefs.

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2025-02-05T09:19:38Z