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It was not the team news Blues coach Pat Lam intended to announce.
His plan was to discuss the side to play the Highlanders tomorrow in the team's final trial game before the start of the Super 14. Instead, Lam was forced to discuss a medical mishap list which was already depressingly long before the start of the series.
Wing Rudi Wulf had a hairline fracture in his left wrist and would be out for a month, leading lock Ali Williams had hurt his back during a weights session with his absence somewhere on a scale of two to six weeks, while his brother Jay had damaged an ankle.
Tack on the paternity leave which Joe Rokocoko, Jerome Kaino and Taniela Moa would be taking this month and the Blues' overseas start to the series in Perth and South Africa was already looking disjointed.
Part of the deal, said Lam. Injuries happened in rugby and it was especially important that first-time fathers be with their partners instead of being away on sports campaigns. Rokocoko and Moa were likely to travel to Perth for the side's opening match next week against the Force before returning home, while Kaino would probably stay behind in New Zealand until his first child was born.
Wulf was definitely ruled out of the Blues' overseas campaign while there would have to be further assessments on the Williams brothers.
All Black lock Ali had been bothered by a sore back after the Grand Slam campaign but after some reconditioning had been confident he would play against the Highlanders tomorrow in a trial game at North Harbour Stadium. But he had damaged his back again lifting light weights and his start date was most uncertain.
Northland lock Dean Budd would provide locking cover for the Williams brothers in tomorrow's trial and perhaps even deeper into the campaign while Steve Lowery had also filled in at times at lock.
"It is a big loss losing both and a lot of responsibility now goes on Anthony Boric and Kurtis Haiu," Lam said. "We have got some challenges before we leave on Sunday."
Openside flanker Josh Blackie was still involved in playoffs with his Japanese club but might be available soon. Teams were allowed to take 26 players away on their trips to Africa and Lam would finalise that selection once all the medical assessments were done after the final trial game tomorrow.
Coaches had to trust all the players in their squad and offer them chances during the pre-season practice matches when sides looked to build their patterns and game plans. That cohesion had grown when the All Blacks returned to the squad last week and the squad would be looking to build further tomorrow in their final trial game.
