Wondering how the Super Rugby Casualty Ward looks before we kick this season off? Well wonder no more!

Preseason Injury List:

NEW ZEALAND
Highlanders
Richard Buckman – Neck injury – Not sure how bad yet
James Lentjes –  Shoulder injury in last preseason game – back in April

Hurricanes
Dane Coles – ACL Start of December, return in “4-6 months” so probably getting a synthetic LARS graft. These have higher rupture rates. So he has a higher risk of reinjury and will probably be undercooked on return. AVOID.
Ihaia West – Rumoured to start at flyhalf to start the season while Jordie is injured. Beauden would play fullback.
Jordie Barrett – Shoulder Injury – back earliest Rd 3- most likely Rd 6 (some say earliest Rd4)
Nehe Milner-Skudder – Shoulder reconstruction – Back in May.
Chris Eves – Shoulder stinger in last trial “No long term damage”

Chiefs
Mitchell Graham – Out for first 6 weeks, had screws removed from old leg fracture operation
Sam McNicol – Recurrent Concussions – going through the normal protocol
Atu Moli – Playing very limited minutes in last trial coming back from last years foot injury. Sounds like this is an irritable one.
Tim Nanai-Williams – Injured shoulder in final trial against Brumbies – waiting on injury update

Crusaders
Owen Franks – Achilles rupture in September for NZ-  Targeting 21st April (Rd 10)
Israel Dagg – Knee Injury from 2017. Targeting 21st April Rd 10
Joe Moody  – Shoulder injury – Targeting 21st April Rd 10

Blues
Stephen Perofeta – Back in Rd 7 after the Bye – Broken Hand in trial against chiefs
Blake Gibson – injured, apparently should be right for Rd 1 but there isn’t much info out there.
Jerome Kaino – Knee injury against Hurricanes in the last trial
Jimmy Tupou – Leg injury in preseason against hurricanes

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AUSTRALIA
Waratahs
Ben McCalman – 4th Fractured Scapula (Shoulder blade) in 2 years, Waratahs want a medical before signing him.
Nick Phipps – Calf injury Feb 7th, Back for Rd 3 or 4 – probably gives the start to Jake Gordon for now.
Ned Hanigan – Grd 1 MCL (same knee as last year) in 2nd last trial – should be right for Rd 2.
Jack Dempsey – Hamstring Injury – Back week 9
Sekope Kepu – Suspension, Back Rd 4 – shoulder to the head against Scotland in 2017
Cameron Clark – Torn Hamstring in Brizzy 10s, in doubt for Rd 1, Likely Rd 4-5
Damien Fitzpatrick – Knee injury in preseason against rebels
Rob Simmons – Concussion in last trial against rebels

Brumbies
David Pocock – Knee Op – Back Rd 7 (could be Rds 4-9)

Reds
Karmichael Hunt – Cocaine trial just before game 1 – hasn’t been allowed to train with the team and if convicted his contract will be torn up. Stay away for now!
Ben Lucas – Minor knee surgery, missing last trial, likely Rd 1
George Smith – Back surgery – back April 7th against Brumbies In Rd 8
Quade Cooper – unwanted by reds but still contracted – unlikely to see him play this season.

Rebels
Jordy Reid – apparently injured – set for early season return
Bill Meakes – Foot surgery to rule him out of the early season.
Will Genia – ongoing back problems – pulled out of both the Brizzy 10s and the final trial because it isn’t settling. Looks problematic!
Marika Koroibete – Knee injury – no other news other than that it looks like it happened a while ago.
Richard Hardwick – Knee injury

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SOUTH AFRICA
Sharks
Jean-Luc du Preez – Ankle inj in Currie Cup final – likely to return early march
Louis Schreuder – Hamstring injury in preseason, will miss the first month of competition.
Leolin Zas – Not coming back well from injury – flown to Switzerland to try and get better.
Louis Schreuder – Hamstring injury, out for 4 weeks

Stormers
Scarra Ntubeni – Hamstring injury in preseason.
Jan de Klerk – Knee injury?
SP Marais – Expected back for the tour in Rd 2.
Pieter-Steph du Toit – Missing Rd 1, managing back injury for springboks
Frans Malherbe – Neck Injury – no return date set (as of 15th Feb) – at least missing until after the tour (Rd 5)
Jean-Luc du Plessis – Op Dec 1st GROIN, back ~ 15th March
Daniel du Plessis – Shoulder Inj – back ~15th March Likely starting Centre with De Allende
Eben Etzebeth – Shoulder Injury, Back around 18th May! ! RD11?

Lions
Courtnall Skosan – ACL in January – Originally gone until start of July/Aug at earliest – now saying ~10weeks so could be back mid April. This only works if they are planning on not reconstructing his ACL, which is a huge risk in rugby union. Avoid him like the plague!
Andries Ferreira – I’ve heard he is injured? Can’t find anymore info though.
Jaco Kriel – Shoulder Op – Should be back Rd 3-4
Ruan Combrinck – Shoulder surgery – return Mid April

Bulls
Travis Ismaiel – Concussion in preseason – No word on his return but rumours are that they are being very careful.
Rudy Paige – cut from the squad
Ruan Steenkamp – Knee – back mid feb?
Jamba Ulengo – Knee is cactus – flying to Switzerland for treatment
Ivan van Zyl – Shoulder Injury – returned for Rd 2

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ARGENTINA/JAPAN
Jaguares
Tomás Cubelli – Fractured neck vertebra, back end of april/start of may
Jerónimo de la Fuente – Muscle tear – likely back after rd 3
Santiago Garcia Botta – Rib Injury against Argentina XV
Matías Moroni – Shoulder operation – back early april?

Sunwolves
Kenki Fukuoka – Injured for 4 weeks – ongoing knee injury

OUT FOR THE SEASON:

Otere Black (Blues) – ACL reconstruction
Coenie Oosthuizen (Sharks) – ACL reconstruction
Enrique Pieretto (Jaguares) – ACL Reconstruction
Reggie Goodes – Retired due to concussion

Have we missed something? Drop a comment or tweet and let us know.

Written by Harrison Dale