Scott Barrett injured ahead of Rugby Championship and may miss start of tournament

All Blacks captain Scott Barrett may miss the opening rounds of the Rugby Championship after undergoing surgery on a finger.

The lock injured himself during last weekend’s comfortable 47-5 win over Fiji in San Diego last weekend and required “surgical treatment” after his return to New Zealand, All Blacks management said in a statement.

While the injury is being assessed, it is too early to put a timeline on how long the injury will keep Barrett off the field.

The All Blacks will kick off their Rugby Championship campaign against Argentina in Wellington on August 10, followed by a second match against the same opponent in Auckland on August 17. The All Blacks then head to South Africa to face the Springboks in Johannesburg on September 1 and in Cape Town on September 8.

Despite the injury, Barrett is expected to be named in the All Blacks’ 36-man squad for the Rugby Championship set to be announced tomorrow afternoon.

Ardie Savea, who shares vice-captain duties with Jordie Barrett, is the likely candidate to step in as captain. Savea, a seasoned No 8 with eight captaincies under his belt, is highly respected among his peers and was named World Rugby’s player of the year after last year’s World Cup in France.

In May, Aaron Smith told the Rugby Direct podcast that Savea would be a great captain: “For me you’ve got to go with your best player and the best player in the world last year was Ardie Savea — and he has been for a while. It was a two-horse race between him and Antoine Dupont for a couple of years there. I thought Ardie was robbed a couple of years ago, but it is what it is.

“Ardie’s credentials of when he’s led and how he’s led probably give him a jump-start. He led us in certain games in 2021 [including the centenary victory against the Springboks] and last year at the World Cup. He leant heavily on us older boys, but his performances speak for themselves. When he comes into a huddle and says something, you know he’s doing it.

Losing Barrett, 30, is a significant blow for the All Blacks, especially following the departures of veteran locks Sam Whitelock and Brodie Retallick after the World Cup. The All Blacks’ depth in the second row is relatively thin.

All Blacks coach Scott Robertson had selected Patrick Tuipulotu, Tupou Vaa’i, and Barrett as his primary locks for the recent tests against England in New Zealand. He also called up the uncapped Sam Darry for the match against Fiji in San Diego last weekend. With Barrett sidelined, Darry, who made his debut as a substitute against Fiji, is expected to secure his spot in the squad. Darry’s debut was made more special by the fact his mother, Katrina, is the team’s nutritionist.

Luke Kirkness is the Sports Planning Editor for the NZ Herald. He’s an award-winning journalist who also covered consumer affairs for the Herald and served as an assistant news director.