All Blacks hopeful Caleb Tangitau has been ruled out for up to nine months with a ruptured Achilles.
His team the Highlanders confirmed the extent of his injury in a social media post and said he had a “full rupture of his left Achilles requiring surgery (6-9 months RTP) [returnto play]“.
“Devastated for our guy”, the post finished.
The winger hit the deck in the final minutes of the Highlanders’ match against the Chiefs without being touched, before holding his knee and punching the turf in frustration.
He was then taken off the field in a medicab and coach Jamie Joseph told media after the match the initial indication looked to be a ruptured Achilles.
“He’s electric and we love him so we need to get around him.”
The 23-year-old will now miss the remainder of the Super Rugby Pacific season and the chance to play for the All Blacks in their July Nations Championship fixtures or on their tour of South Africa.
With the timeline set by the Highlanders, he could have a chance to return for the All Blacks Northern Hemisphere fixtures in November, but the lack of game time he would have before then would make that a long shot.
The Highlanders also lost No 8 Nikora Broughton early in the first half of the contest because of a suspected knee injury, while Chiefs playmaker Damien McKenzie took a boot to the chin and lay motionless on the pitch.
The game was stopped as McKenzie was attended to, but he was able to walk off the pitch with a smear of blood on his face.
