Hurricanes first five Brett Cameron taken to hospital, faces stint on sidelines with knee injury

Brett Cameron was stretchered off the field during the Hurricanes' win over Moana Pasifika on Friday night. Photo / Getty Images

Brett Cameron can’t catch a break.

In 2025, the one-test All Blacks first five-eighths was limited to four Super Rugby Pacific appearances for the Hurricanes after working his way back from an ACL injury.

Now, after 23 minutes of game time under his belt in the side’s 2026 campaign, the 29-year-old’s season is up in the air.

Cameron had to be stretchered off the field midway through the first half of the side’s 52-10 win over Moana Pasifika in Wellington on Friday night after sustaining a significant knee injury.

Providing an update on his No 10 after the match, Hurricanes coach Clark Laidlaw said it didn’t look good.

“I’m not fully sure. It’s definitely his knee. It’s not his knee that he did his ACL [in], it’s his other knee. I think he went off to hospital. Really disappointing if it’s as bad as what it looked,” Laidlaw said.

“He worked so bloody hard last year to do a five-and-a-half-month ACL return. He’s in great condition, he had an awesome pre-season, he’s been leading the team really well. It’s a hammer blow to him. It’ll take a wee bit of sinking in. We’ll need to get around him if it’s serious.”

The injury will likely mean either Callum Harkin or Lucas Cashmore moves into the No 10 jersey, with Ruben Love out of action for at least another three weeks. Harkin started at fullback against Moana Pasifika, but jumped in at first five when Cameron left the field, with Cashmore at first five-eighths for the development team.

It put a dampener on an otherwise strong outing for the Hurricanes, who had the bye in week one.

The wings combined for five tries in the contest, with Josh Moorby, returning from a stint offshore, running in a hat-trick before the 45-minute mark, while Fehi Fineanganofo, who is heading offshore at the end of this season, bagged a double. Moorby played most of the game at fullback as part of the positional shifts triggered by Cameron’s injury.

Loose forward Brayden Iose also scored a double, with the other try coming through midfielder Billy Proctor, who was thrust into the action off the bench when Cameron left the field.

In Cameron’s absence, second five-eighths Jordie Barrett took on the goal-kicking duties, slotting five conversions.

“It’s a sick feeling when you see a good mate of yours go down with the green whistle,” Barrett said.

“It’s a gutting blow to him after the injury history he’s had and he’s worked so hard. He’s very important to our squad. We saw what a difference he made at the back end of last year when he came back and, with Ruben being out, we need our 10.

“I’m just disappointed as a mate and gutted.”

Christopher Reive joined the Herald sports team in 2017, bringing the same versatility to his coverage as he does to his sports viewing habits.