Scott Robertson has confirmed a mixed injury report for the All Blacks ahead of their end-of-year northern tour, which includes a rare Grand Slam opportunity against Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales.
With the Rugby Championship now wrapped up, focus shifts to the All Blacks’ northern adventure – a four-Test tour featuring fixtures in Chicago, Edinburgh, London and Cardiff.
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Robertson provided an update on the squad’s fitness following a bruising southern season.
Playmaker Beauden Barrett, who missed the final Rugby Championship clash in Perth, has been cleared to travel.
“He’ll be fine for the end of the year,” Robertson said.
However, lock Tupou Vaa’i has been ruled out of the tour with a knee injury that could require surgery once the team returns to New Zealand.
“It was tough, you know,” Robertson explained.
“He clicked his knee the week before and got through training, and then just stood up and it locked on him. Obviously, we’ll see the surgeon.”
Props Ethan de Groot and Caleb Clarke are both recovering well and expected to be fit for the tour, while the injury list continues to mount elsewhere.
Robertson confirmed that Tyrel Lomax, Emoni Narawa and Noah Hotham will all miss the trip north, forcing the selectors to call in reinforcements.
“Yeah, we’ve got a good understanding [of replacements], and obviously we have the All Blacks XV team to select, along with Jamie Joseph and their crew,” said Robertson.
“They’ve been watching NPC and all the players, and that’s a tough team to pick as well because there’s been some great performances.”
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The tour offers Robertson his first crack at leading an All Blacks side through a Grand Slam – a rare challenge that only a handful of New Zealand teams have completed in history.
“Yeah, it’s pretty cool,” he said.
“You talk to some of the old All Blacks who’ve been on it, and it doesn’t come round often. The last time I looked at the stats, there’s only been a couple in a few decades – from memory, that was Wayne Smith’s chipping away – and it’s very difficult. But it’s a great opportunity for us, and we’ve got an exciting squad to go over there and play some good footy.”
Robertson also couldn’t resist a light-hearted nod to the tour’s opening stop in Chicago.
“Obviously, going through Chicago on the way – some Kiwis have managed to find a few business trips in Las Vegas as well,” he quipped.
“It’s beautiful, the gift of touring, so it’ll be great to have a lot of Kiwis in Chicago and then follow us up north.”
Photo: Phil Walter/Getty Images
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