Crusaders Sam Whitelock is taken from the field for a Head injury assessment. Photo / Photosport
The Crusaders and the All Blacks have been dealt a big blow with the news Sam Whitelock has been ruled out of his team's match against the Chiefs in Hamilton on Saturday.
The experienced lock and new All Blacks captain now must be in doubt for the first test against France due to his concussion symptoms, although Crusaders coach Scott Robertson said Whitelock had improved significantly from a head knock suffered against the Waratahs nearly three weeks ago.
It means Whitelock will miss three matches before the All Blacks test at Eden Park a week on Saturday, a state of affairs that will not please coach Steve Hansen, who would have received a thorough breakdown of the issues from the player himself at the All Blacks training camp at the start of the week.
The 29-year-old Whitelock, who has played 96 tests, was on the sidelines in Christchurch as the All Blacks ran through their paces so it's probably no surprise that he is missing another week. In his absence against the Hurricanes last weekend, All Black Scott Barrett and Quinten Strange stood up for the red and blacks and the onus will go that pair again against an impressive Chiefs scrum.
To compound matters for the Crusaders and Hansen, midfielder Ryan Crotty will also miss the Chiefs match due to concussion. It will be the second match Crotty has missed due to the injury suffered against the Blues a fortnight ago.
Crotty's injury could open the door at the All Blacks for the uncapped Jack Goodhue, but with Chiefs loose forward Sam Cane also lacking game time and likely to miss the crunch derby at Waikato Stadium, the All Blacks are beginning to look very light on experience.
"They weren't quite ready so we're giving them another week to come right," Robertson said of Whitelock and Crotty. "It's a week by week thing so we'll see what happens next week."
But, he said, the pair had gone through a "massive improvement. When you go through these processes it is a day to day thing and they're great. Maybe if the game was on Sunday they could have been available so it's that close."
The good news for Robertson is that All Black loosehead prop Joe Moody will make a welcome return from his two-match suspension. Like before the Hurricanes match which the Crusaders, against the odds given their absence of top personnel, won 24-13, Robertson is backing his squad.
"We're not focusing on who we haven't got in there but who we have got there… we trust our depth and every time we've given someone an opportunity they've taken it."
More developments concern the move by loose forward Pete Samu, an Australian, to make himself available for the Wallabies after signing with the Brumbies next season.
Samu's release is yet to be agreed by New Zealand Rugby, but Robertson said it was only a matter of time before he played for Australia.
"We'll support New Zealand Rugby's decision," Robertson said. "He's going to be a Wallaby at some stage isn't he? If that's in June good on him… he's an Australian who wants to play for Australia. He's good enough to be a Wallaby."
Asked whether Samu's decision could count against him at the Crusaders, Robertson said: "He's contracted to the Crusaders – if he plays well enough he'll play.
"It's not an issue at all – I think it's just professional sport."
Fortunately, the Crusaders have signed Whetu Douglas for two years as a replacement for Samu. Douglas played six times for Robertson's men last year and impressed hugely before having to honour a prior commitment with Italian club Treviso.
Crusaders team to play Chiefs at Waikato Stadium on Saturday, kick-off 7.35pm is:
David Havili, Israel Dagg, Seta Tamanivalu, Jack Goodhue, George Bridge, Richie Mo'unga, Bryn Hall, Jordan Taufua, Matt Todd (c), Heiden Bedwell-Curtis, Quinten Strange, Scott Barrett, Michael Alaalatoa, Codie Taylor, Joe Moody.
Reserves: Andrew Makalio, Wyatt Crockett, Donald Brighouse, Luke Romano, Ethan Blackadder, Mitchell Drummond, Mitchell Hunt, Jone Macilai.