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Blues suffer big injury blow as Rieko Ioane among three players ruled out of action

By Online Editors
(Photo by Renee McKay/Getty Images)

By NZ Herald

The Blues have suffered a series of potentially crippling blows to their Super Rugby campaign with three players sustaining serious injuries in the season-opener against the Chiefs at the weekend.

In a statement, the Blues confirmed All Black wing Rieko Ioane - who scored two tries at Eden Park - will be out of action for "several weeks" after fracturing his hand.

Hooker Ray Niuia has suffered a season-ending knee injury while prop Alex Hodgman has a calf tear.

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The Blues confirmed that veteran hooker James Parsons and first-five Otere Black are both expected to return from injuries as early as this week.

The Blues went down 37-29 after a second-half fightback from Warren Gatland's team on Friday evening.

- More to come

This article first appeared on nzherald.co.nz and was republished with permission.

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