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‘Made a long-term decision’: Ian Foster provides injury update on Sam Whitelock

Sam Whitelock of the All Blacks looks on during a New Zealand All Blacks training session at Mt Smart Stadium on June 30, 2023 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)

Coach Ian Foster has revealed that veteran Sam Whitelock was “available for selection” this week, but the All Blacks have decided to err on the side of caution.

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Whitelock was sidelined for a significant period during Super Rugby Pacific, and was in doubt for last month’s decider against the Chiefs in Hamilton.

But the 143-Test veteran decided to play, and ended up finishing his time at the Crusaders as a champion following his Player of the Match performance in the final.

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All seemed good with the rugby world – but Whitelock wasn’t out of the woods just yet.

Whitelock wasn’t at 100 per cent during his first week with the All Blacks in Auckland, but travelled with the team to Argentina.

The Test centurion was “glued” to the physio in South Africa – as Ian Foster put it during the week – but was ruled out of the clash with Los Pumas due to the persistent Achilles injury.

Whitelock will miss his second consecutive Test this week, but coach Ian Foster has confirmed that the legendary second-rower could’ve played against fierce rivals South Africa.

“Sam Whitelock, he’s available for selection based on where his body is at, but we’ve made a decision,” Foster told reporters in Auckland.

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“By not playing him this week, we actually give him an extra week after that. It just gives us a chance to have a decent block of recovery.

“He would be available to play but we made a long-term decision rather than a medical decision on that one.”

The All Blacks have named a talented second-row duo in Whitelock’s absence though, with Brodie Retallick set to return alongside in-form utility Scott Barrett.

But there’s no denying Whitelock’s experience, pedigree, or importance to this team.

“It’s never easy is it. He’s progressed well, he trained pretty well full-on last week, had a little bit of a setback near the end of the week but he’s good as gold,” Foster

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“But he’s probably still got a little bit to go from where we think he can get to.

“Very tempting but we just made a decision for the bigger picture, by giving him this week (off)… he then has another week next week and then he should be ready.”

Foster also confirmed that Emoni Narawa, who made a try-scoring debut for the All Blacks in Mendoza, was unavailable with a back injury.

Leicester Fainga’anuku has also been ruled out with a calf injury, and the All Blacks coach wasn’t “sure of his ETA.”

“Emoni, his back seized up the day after the game so he’s really stiff and hasn’t trained all week. Don’t know how bad it is, he’s moving around now, but he’s unavailable.

“Leicester joined us on Monday when we got here. His calf, he’s still only on a slow jog so not sure of his ETA but that’s where he’s at.

The All Blacks take on fierce rivals South Africa at 7.05 pm NZST on Saturday evening at Auckland’s Mt Smart Stadium.

Following that match, the Wallabies host Pumas across the ditch in Sydney.

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Comments

10 Comments
B
Bob Marler 741 days ago

I’d also be poop scared of further injury this coming weekend.

M
MitchO 742 days ago

Whitelock can drop inas required. He’s knows everything and everyone knows him. Much better to give lord and vaii matchtime. There’s no way Sam Brodie and Scott can be the big three all those games

J
Jan 742 days ago

Whitelock should never have played in the super final- whose glory his or razors?

D
Dennis 742 days ago

Nah mate it's his choice and he can do whatever he damn well pleases for a coach that he loves and a team he loves. And yes it's razors glory and Sam's glory. Remember that was his last game in his home town for the championship. Imagine giving up on that for a springboks game they will probably lose anyway?

M
MitchO 742 days ago

Nah mate every good rugby player I know would have played that final if they thought they could. The consideration is if break the down is it worth the risk

W
WB 742 days ago

He was told by the selectors not to play and He made that choice .So one eyed supporters trying to join dots, what's more important club or country

D
Dennis 742 days ago

The way things are going with the ABs now? I think Sam's answered that question pretty definitely. Club. And to be honest I agree

P
Pecos 742 days ago

He wasn't told by the selectors NOT to play, he was told by the Crusaders' medical staff that he should not play. Foster said based on a medical report he'd seen he expected Sam not to play. Razor left it to Sam. And I suspect ANY injured AB would do their utmost to get on the paddock for a SR final wouldn't they?

D
Damian 742 days ago

Mmmm, why does this feel like a punishment for playing the super final and destroying the beloved Chiefs. Surely Fozzy is too professional for that kind a nonsense. I'm probably just joining dots that aren't even there.

W
Willie 742 days ago

You might be right but the positive is they didn't make the mistake of starting all three [Whitelock, Retallick, Barrett]. Playing Barrett at 6 is just creating unnecessary problems [for the ABs].

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Soliloquin 1 hour ago
Competing interests and rotated squads: What the 'player welfare summer' is really telling us

I don’t know the financial story behind the changes that were implemented, but I guess clubs started to lose money, Mourad Boudjellal won it all with Toulon, got tired and wanted to invest in football , the French national team was at its lowest with the QF humiliation in 2015 and the FFR needed to transform the model where no French talent could thrive. Interestingly enough, the JIFF rule came in during the 2009/2010 season, so before the Toulon dynasty, but it was only 40% of the players that to be from trained in French academies. But the crops came a few years later, when they passed it at the current level of 70%.

Again, I’m not a huge fan of under 18 players being scouted and signed. I’d rather have French clubs create sub-academies in French territories like Wallis and Futuna, New Caledonia and other places that are culturally closer to RU and geographically closer to rugby lands. Mauvaka, Moefana, Taofifenua bros, Tolofua bros, Falatea - they all came to mainland after starting their rugby adventure back home.

They’re French, they come from economically struggling areas, and rugby can help locally, instead of lumping foreign talents.

And even though many national teams benefit from their players training and playing in France, there are cases where they could avoid trying to get them in the French national team (Tatafu).

In other cases, I feel less shame when the country doesn’t believe in the player like in Meafou’s case.

And there are players that never consider switching to the French national team like Niniashvili, Merckler or even Capuozzo, who is French and doesn’t really speak Italian.

We’ll see with Jacques Willis 🥲


But hey, it’s nothing new to Australia and NZ with PI!

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