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All Blacks lose loose forward for the season
By Sam Smith
Crusaders loose forward Ethan Blackadder will miss the rest of the season after scans confirmed he will need to undergo shoulder surgery.
The 27-year-old dislocated his left shoulder in last week's Super Rugby Pacific quarter-final against the Queensland Reds in Christchurch and the Crusaders confirmed the injury diagnosis.
Blackadder was an All Black debutant in 2021 and went on to feature in nine tests, playing at blindside and openside throughout the season.
His injury will potentially open the door for a new loose forward option on Monday when the All Blacks name their squad for the upcoming three-test series against Ireland.
Crusaders coach Scott Robertson said: "We really feel for Ethan, who has been in incredible form, and is such a hardworking and well-respected member of this team.''
"Our medical team will do what they do best and ensure he has everything he needs to be right for the 2023 season. In the meantime, he'll find other ways to contribute to our group, as Ethan always does."
The Crusaders have named Tom Christie as Blackadder's replacement at No 7 for their semi-final clash against the Chiefs this weekend.
Blackadder is expected to return to start the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific season next year.
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Latest Comments
I thought you meant in europe. Because all of the reasons theyre different I wouldn't correlate that to mean for europe, as in french broadcasters pay two or three times as much as the UK or SA broadcasters do, like they do for their league.
With France, it's not just about viewers, they are also paying much more. So no doubt there will be a hit (to the amount the French teams receive for only playing a fraction of it) but they may not care too much as long as the big clubs, the top 8 for example, enter the meaty end, and it wouldn't have the same value to them as the top14 contract/compensation does. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if the 3 separate networks broadcast deals only went to the clubs in their regions as well (that's how SR ended up (unbalanced) I believe).
Go to commentsHis best years were 2018 and he wasn't good enough to win the World Cup in 2023! (Although he was voted as the best player in the world in 2023)
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