All Blacks lock Patrick Tuipulotu ruled out of northern tour due to shoulder injury

Patrick Tuipulotu will miss the All Blacks’ northern tour as he is set to undergo surgery to repair a shoulder injury.

The test veteran was part of the 36-man squad named yesterday but this morning was replaced by Blues teammate Sam Darry.

It’s a strange situation for the 32-year-old to have been named in the team one day, then withdrawn the next. An All Blacks representative told the Herald it was due to the results of Tuipulotu’s medical assessment coming back after the squad had been named.

Tuipulotu had been playing with a shoulder niggle sustained while playing for the Blues. It was said to have settled early in the All Blacks’ season, but would flare up on occasion.

However, the injury got to the point of needing a medical assessment to determine the best way to address the pain. It was determined that surgery would be needed, which would sideline the lock for six months.

It then became a case of timing. Missing the upcoming Grand Slam tour means he will be able to return during the Super Rugby Pacific season and build into next year’s All Blacks campaign. Had he gone ahead with the tour and had surgery afterwards, he risked missing the entire Super season.

The representative said Tuipulotu, All Blacks coaches and Blues coaches were all part of the decision-making process as to when the best time for surgery would be.

It’s a second injury blow of the season for Tuipulotu, who first suffered a facial fracture during the opening Rugby Championship victory in Cordoba. That ruled him out of the defeat to Argentina the following week, along with the two tests against the Springboks.

He returned to the squad for the Bledisloe Cup tests, coming off the bench in both tests.

Tuipulotu, along with Beauden Barrett, were the only two players in the All Blacks squad who started in the 2016 defeat to Ireland in Chicago.

His withdrawal from the tour provides an opportunity for Darry, who has been strong for Canterbury in the NPC this season after a shoulder injury of his own resulted in him missing the entire Super season.

The 25-year-old made six appearances for the All Blacks in Scott Robertson’s maiden season as coach but had yet to crack the squad in 2025. He was expected to be named in the All Blacks XV squad, which was named today ahead of their own European tour with three fixtures scheduled in November.

Instead, only three locks were named in that squad - Naitoa Ah Kuoi, Isaia Walker-Leawere and Josh Beehre. However, coach Jamie Joseph suggested some of the loose forwards in the side could fill the role if it came to it.

“I’ve got a lot of confidence in those three boys,” Joseph said.

“We’ve got two very experienced locks in Naitoa Ah Kuoi and Isaia Walker-Leawere. If we’ve got injuries, we’ve got guys in the loose forwards, TK Howden, who can step up and play lock if they have to. We’ve potentially got non-selected All Blacks players who may come down. That’s also on the cards.”

All Blacks XV squad

Hookers: Brodie McAlister, Jack Taylor, Bradley Slater.

Props: George Dyer, Josh Fusitua, Benet Kumeroa, Siale Lauaki, Xavier Numia.

Locks: Naitoa Ah Kuoi, Josh Beehre, Isaia Walker-Leawere.

Loose forwards: Kaylum Boshier, Devan Flanders, Te Kamaka Howden, Christian Lio-Willie, Dalton Papali’i, Sean Withy.

Halfbacks: Folau Fakatava, Kyle Preston, Xavier Roe.

First fives: Josh Jacomb, Rivez Reihana.

Midfield: Braydon Ennor, David Havili, Dallas McLeod, Daniel Rona.

Outside backs: Chay Fihaki, Etene Nanai-Seturo, Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, Caleb Tangitau.