1
All Black struck down by injury before Rugby World Cup squad announcement
By Finn Morton
Fan-favourite flanker Ethan Blackadder has been struck down by another cruel injury blow in the leadup to the All Blacks’ Rugby World Cup squad annoucement on Monday.
Blackadder was a standout during his maiden Test campaign in black a couple of years ago, but the backrower has struggled with injuries ever since.
After being named the Crusaders’ Player of the Year in 2022, the dynamic loose forward missed the entire international season with an injury.
Blackadder also spent a decent stint on the sidelines during Super Rugby Pacific this year.
The 28-year-old hobbled off during the regular season win over the Brumbies, and wouldn’t return for quite some time.
Blackadder was back in red and black in time for the Crusaders’ finals charge, but suffered a quad injury during the quarter-final against the Fijian Drua – after just four minutes of game time too.
But, unfortunately, Blackadder isn’t out of the woods just yet. Injuries have continued to disrupt his season – with All Blacks coach Ian Foster providing an update earlier this week.
“He re-did a calf a couple of weeks ago,” Foster told reporters on Thursday. “We’re just assessing him at the moment.”
The All Blacks are preparing to take on arch-rivals Australia in Dunedin on Saturday afternoon. It’s their second and final Test of the year on home soil.
For New Zealanders, it’s their last chance to see their heroes in action before they jet off to Europe ahead of the upcoming Rugby World Cup.
But once the full-time siren sounds at Forsyth Barr Stadium, the attention of the New Zealand rugby public will quickly shift to Monday’s team announcement.
For 33 of New Zealand’s best male rugby players, their dreams of going to a Rugby World Cup with the All Blacks will become a reality early next week.
But for the likes of Blackadder and Crusaders teammate David Havili – who is set to lineup for Tasman Mako in the opening round of the NPC on Friday – they appear to be under a cloud of doubt.
“It’s all going to depend on what we do, whether they’re picked or not,” Foster added. “I’ll let you know on Monday.”
Trending on RugbyPass
2
'Damaging' Jordie Barrett move only helps All Blacks- ex-Ireland wing
3
OTD – Declan Kidney takes step up into Test rugby
4
Max Deegan opts to stay at Leinster over Ulster move
5
Latest Comments
The match experience still sucks at SR games, irrespective of the game being a little quicker. Rugby has to compete with so much in the modern world, if you’re going to get people to leave their houses and pay to watch a game in winter then the experience has to be worthwhile.
Go to commentsIt’s a good, timely wake up call for NZ Rugby (seem to be a few of them lately!) - sort out the bureaucratic nonsense at board level. We can’t expect to stay the number one option without keeping fans/players engaged. We’ve obviously been bleeding players to league for years but can’t let the floodgates open (although I think this headline is hyperbolic as it’s a result of a recent Warriors pathways system where they are tracking things more closely) Understand the need to focus boys on rugby if they’re at a proud rugby school too, don’t think it’s harsh at all re Barakat in Hamilton. Reward the committed players with squad positions. An elite 1st XV system in NZ has done more for league than they even realise, think it’s good to protect our game further.
Go to comments