All Blacks star Anton Lienert-Brown ruled out until October with shoulder injury
All Blacks and Chiefs star Anton Lienert-Brown has been ruled out of action for six months with a shoulder injury.
Lienert-Brown is set to undergo surgery this week after injuring his shoulder early in the Chiefs' 25-0 Super Rugby Pacific defeat to the Blues in Hamilton on Saturday.
The 26-year-old midfielder left the field just seven minutes into the match after copping a heavy blow at a ruck by Blues halfback Sam Nock.
Lienert-Brown subsequently revealed via social media on Monday that he will go under the knife, a procedure that is set to sideline him until October.
"Shoulder is going to need a bit more work than I was hoping, going under the knife this week which will put me out for 6 months," the 56-test international wrote.
"A bump in the road but the journey continues. I’ll be back... appreciate all the support".
Lienert-Brown's newly-injured shoulder is the same one that he partially dislocated during last November's All Blacks test loss to Ireland in Dublin, forcing him to sit out the season-ending defeat to France in Paris the following week.
His current injury means he will miss the remainder of the Chiefs' Super Rugby Pacific season, as well as the All Blacks' three-test series against Ireland in July and the Rugby Championship campaign between August and September.
He is also likely to be absent for most of Waikato's NPC season, although he could feature for the Mooloos at the backend of their campaign and may be available for New Zealand's end-of-year tour in November.
Regardless, the absence of Lienert-Brown is significant for the Chiefs, who are now without one of their most experienced players and key leaders for the rest of the year after having already lost Brodie Retallick for six-to-eight weeks with a broken thumb.
Chiefs head coach Clayton McMillan feared the worst for Lienert-Brown shortly after his side's defeat to the Blues.
"Not great," McMillan said of Lienert-Brown following their loss. "He's putting on a brave face but initial reports are that it's not looking good. His arm is in a sling."
Chiefs and All Blacks captain Sam Cane, who overcome a serious injury himself last year, felt for Lienert-Brown after having watched his club and international teammate endure an injury-plagued campaign in 2021.
"He's a massive part of our team and must be closing in on 100 games," Cane said. "I'm not going to feel too sorry for him yet. I'll cross my fingers and hope it's not as bad as initially thought but my gut feel is he may be in a bit of strife."
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It certainly needs to be cherished. Despite Nick (and you) highlighting their usefulness for teams like Australia (and obviously those in France they find form with) I (mention it general in those articles) say that I fear the game is just not setup in Aus and NZ to appreciate nor maximise their strengths. The French game should continue to be the destination of the biggest and most gifted athletes but it might improve elsewhere too.
I just have an idea it needs a whole team focus to make work. I also have an idea what the opposite applies with players in general. I feel like French backs and halves can be very small and quick, were as here everyone is made to fit in a model physique. Louis was some 10 and 20 kg smaller that his opposition and we just do not have that time of player in our game anymore. I'm dying out for a fast wing to appear on the All Blacks radar.
But I, and my thoughts on body size in particular, could be part of the same indoctrination that goes on with player physiques by the establishment in my parts (country).
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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