All Blacks: Duo to miss opener

Kieran Read will miss the opening weeks oif the World Cup. Photo / Getty Images

Injured No 8 Kieran Read will miss the opening games of the World Cup but the All Blacks hope to have him back in time for the knockout rounds.

Scans yesterday revealed Read suffered a high ankle sprain in the opening minutes of the 25-20 defeat to Australia on Saturday night.

The news was better for fellow loose forward Adam Thomson, who has damage to the inside of his elbow but is expected to miss only the opening match against Tonga on September 9.

Thomson's chances of playing in the World Cup had looked slim after the match against Australia, with All Blacks coach Graham Henry suggesting he was a long shot to recover.

"Kieran has torn the ligament between the tibia and fibula at the front of his left ankle and while it's still early days in his recovery, with aggressive rehabilitation we are aiming to have him available to play near the end of the round robin,'' All Blacks doctor Deb Robinson said.

"Adam's MRI scan shows some swelling around the inside of his elbow which should settle quickly. He also has some deep bruising to his upper arm and while it's difficult to know how long that will take to settle, we are hoping he will be ready for selection for the All Blacks' second round robin match against Japan.''

The pair will undergo their rehabilitation with the All Blacks squad, who are due to assemble in Auckland on Friday as they prepare for the opening game against Tonga.

Read is critical to the All Blacks' success so it's little surprise the coaches have decided to give him time to recover. He was last year's Player of the Year, is widely recognised as the word's best No 8 and is a member of the All Blacks leadership group.

Under tournament rules, if a player is ruled unfit and has to be replaced he can't return to the squad if he recovers. The All Blacks will easily qualify for the latter stages of the tournament so it's not critical Read is fit for the round robin but, should he recover, he will return lacking match sharpness.

Thomson is one of the most versatile forwards in New Zealand rugby, given his ability to play all three loose forward positions. He had a brilliant start to the Super Rugby campaign but his form has dipped a little since then.

Liam Messam is the most likely player to come into the squad if either Read or Thomson fail to recover.