Mils Muliaina may miss the whole Super 14. Photo / Dean Purcell
Two All Blacks broke down yesterday in their return to match rugby after a seven-week programme to make them fitter, faster and stronger for the World Cup.
Star fullback Mils Muliaina broke a bone in his left foot while wing Joe Rokocoko strained his ankle in a "friendly"
between the Blues and Chiefs development squads.
Twenty-two All Blacks took part in the development programme.
The injury means Muliaina is unlikely to play a part in the rest of the Super 14 with the Chiefs.
He will see a specialist today to determine whether surgery is necessary on his broken fifth metatarsal - the bone connecting the ankle to the toe.
This could force All Black coach Graham Henry to consider Muliaina for test rugby in June without the experienced defender having played a top game all season.
Orthopaedic fracture and sports surgeon Dr Bruce Twaddle said that with minimum invasive surgery Muliaina could be out of action for about "four to six weeks".
"It could be anywhere up to 12 weeks but that would be very unlikely," he said.
"It depends on the fracture pattern and displacement. It's really difficult to say not having seen the x-rays."
Metatarsal injuries are not unusual in sport. England soccer captain David Beckham broke one before the 2002 World Cup, and soccer star Wayne Rooney broke his fourth metatarsal six weeks out from last year's World Cup.
The injuries came as jarring notes for the All Blacks who resumed contact work this week. They have been in intensive gym training and were expected to return fitter, stronger and bulkier for the World Cup in France starting in September.
But the All Black coaching staff have warned fans that the returning players may take a while to get match-hardened again.
A disconsolate Muliaina said he hurt his foot in an innocuous incident when he tried to change direction in the game at the Unitec ground in Auckland.
He thought the injury might be similar to one he sustained some time ago on his right foot, a problem which required surgery to insert a pin into the bone.
There was no indication when Rokocoko, 23, a veteran of 39 tests, would be available for the Blues.
