"It's devastating for him, but he took it so well. He has family coming over, which was for him huge, to have that support in your first Olympic games, and then all of a sudden to be ruled out through injury."
Meanwhile Sonny Bill Williams has been centre of attention with the All Blacks Sevens team fronting the media for the first time in Rio.
A large international media contingent has turned up to talk to the team's highest profile player who will head straight into the All Blacks camp after the Olympics.
Williams is adamant he can transition quickly back into test match rugby.
"As you can tell, with how Ardie Savea went and young Reiko (Ioane) - he was the best winger in Super Rugby this year before he came back to us, so hopefully I can do something like that as well when I go back."