Lock turned All Blacks blindside flanker Tupou Vaa’i is out of the third and final Test against France in Hamilton after suffering a rogue knee to the head in Wellington.
Vaa’i failed his HIA after the game and will go through return to play protocols. The makeshift No.6 has been in rare try-scoring form, with one in each Test against France so far.
That could see Chiefs teammate Samipeni Finau get a run with the starting side after coming off the bench in both Tests so far.
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The injuries don’t stop there with left winger Caleb Clarke, who suffered a high ankle sprain during training in the lead-up to the Wellington test, now expected to be sidelined for five-to-six weeks. Fullback Will Jordan and lock Patrick Tuipulotu are both under injury clouds with niggles picked up in Wellington.
The positive news is Anton Lienert-Brown and loose forward Luke Jacobson are available after recovering from their injuries.
With a 2-0 unassailable series lead it also gives the All Blacks a license to make a lot of changes for the final Test, which assistant coach Jason Holland hinted at on Monday.
With Will Jordan under an injury cloud, a start in the run on side for Ruben Love is not out of the question.
“There’s a lot of work going on behind the scenes with some of the young guys and their game management. These boys have been training well behind the scenes and preparing the 15 or the 23 every week. Everyone understands their roles,” he said.
“We will need to be better, and there’ll be no lack of motivation to keep getting better.
“Ruben Love has been unbelievable in training and setting us up well. You saw the way the French play with their kicking game and their control, and how they try to hurt you in the air.
“Ruben has run an absolute gem of a French cutter for the last two weeks training against us and is working hard behind the scenes and is good to go when he gives this opportunity.”
