Super Rugby 2020 is almost here, and with it comes the most important night of the Fantasy Rugby calendar, Draft night! Make sure you stay up to date with all the injury news so that you know who to pick, who to leave, and who to plan as your mid season smokie. Once again we are your one stop shop for everything injury related!
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Returning from injury
Tiaan Falcon (Chiefs) – Back from an Achilles tendon repair. Will struggle for time with Cruden back.
Damian McKenzie (Chiefs) – In December he started contact training, he is apparently on track for the start of the season. Source.
Tevita Nabura (Highlanders) – Had an ACL repair in February and sat our the Mitre 10 cup to ensure he would be fit and firing for this season. Source.
Bryn Gatland (Highlanders) – Came of with a serious left foot injury in round 11. Sounds like a bad Lis Franc injury which is what Nehe Milner-Skudder had last year, gone for 6 months. Source.
Vince Aso (Hurricanes) – His round 4 pec injury cost him his Super Rugby season but after playing all through the Mitre 10 cup he should be raring to go in 2020.
Manasa Mataele (Crusaders) – Tore his ACL in February last year. Back playing in the trials this season.
Sam McNicol (Chiefs) – Has missed a number of seasons with concussion and more recently other injuries. Source.
Garth April (Sunwolves) – Missed 2019 with a shoulder injury but is now fit and has been named in the Sunwolves squad.
Henry Speight – Had a minor surgery to clean up his knee in the off season and wasn’t ready for their first trial. Named to play in the final trial. Source.
Tomas Cubelli (Jaguares) – Injured his calf during the RWC and was originally expected to miss the start of the season. He made an early return to captain the side against Georgia in the preseason.
Tyler Paul (Sharks) – Missed all of the Currie Cup recovering from an unknown long term injury in Super Rugby. Played in his teams trials.
Hacjivah Dayimani (Lions) – Came back from the Blitzboks with a minor niggle, returning for the last trial. Source.
Ruan Vermaak (Lions) – Missed Super Hero Sunday with an injury, returning for the last trial. Source.
Ongoing Injury List:
NEW ZEALAND
Highlanders
Thomas Umaga-Jensen – Had off season shoulder surgery and is out until April. Source.
Connor Garden-Bachop – Had an operation on his back and will miss 5-6 months meaning he won’t be back until June at the earliest. Source.
Manaaki Selby-Rickit – Serving a 4 game suspension after being found guilty of assualt. Will miss the 2 preseason games and the Highlanders first 2 games. Source.
Ash Dixon – Didn’t play in the trial against the Waratahs on the 17th of Jan due to injury, hopefully of being ready for round 1. Source.
Jeff Thwaites – Should be back around round 4 or 5 from an ankle injury. Source.
Rob Thompson – Has been injured but should be back for the final trial against the Crusaders. Source.
Ngane Punivai – Will return early in the season from a knee injury. Source.
Scott Gregory – Not injured, but is due to leave for the NZ 7s around March.
Chiefs
Luke Jacobson – After a meteoric rise last year he missed the 2019 RWC with lingering concussion symptoms. He is due to be back in round 3. Source.
Nathan Harris – Announced on the 15th of January that he has had a shoulder operation to repair his rotator cuff. Out for at least six months and all of Super Rugby. Source.
Etene Nanai-Seturo – Currently with the NZ 7’s, we believe he is unlikely to play much Super Rugby.
Kini Naholo – Injured. Not sure what he has done. Source.
Hurricanes
Ardie Savea – Will miss 5-6 months due to having to undergo knee surgery after hurting himself during the World Cup Semi Final. Announced December 1st, meaning he would likely only be back for the finals. Source.
Salesi Rayasi – Currently with the NZ 7’s, we believe he is unlikely to play much Super Rugby.
James Blackwell – Was wearing a moonboot at fulltime of the trial against the Blues due to an reoccuring injury to his big toe. He has been named in the tour squad for South Africa. Source.
Dane Coles – Hasn’t travelled with the squad to South Africa, they hope he’ll play in the round three clash against the Sharks. Source.
James Marshall – Not named to travel to South Africa. Not sure why. Source.
Kane Le’aupepe – Has had hip surgery in mid december to repair a torn labrum and remove a CAM impingement. He will be out for 5-6 months. It is worth noting that these injuries vary massively with return to sport time, it could really be 4-9 months! Source.
Crusaders
Sam Whitelock – Apparently he could be back from his sabbatical around May.
Billy Harmon – Picked up a medial ligament strain last week against the Hurricanes and is expected to be sidelined for four-six weeks, putting a return between rd 4-6. Source.
Quinten Strange – Broke a bone in his right hand in the trial against the Highlanders. Expected to be sidelined for up to five weeks (rd 5). Source.
Blues
Beauden Barrett – The star flyhalf/ fullback is on leave until mid April. Source.
Caleb Clarke – Currently with the NZ 7’s, we believe he is unlikely to play much Super Rugby.
Otere Black – An unlikely starter for Friday after suffering a rib injury in the first pre-season hitout against the Chiefs. Source.
James Parsons – Doubtful to start as he works back to full fitness from his back issues. Source.
Tanielu Tele’a – Dealing with an injury likely to keep them out of rd 1. No more detail at the moment. Source.
James Tucker – Dealing with an injury likely to keep them out of rd 1. No more detail at the moment. Source.
AUSTRALIA
Brumbies
Les Leulua’iali’i-Makin – ruled out of Super Rugby season after rupturing his Achilles on the 25th of January. Source.
Reds
Harry Hockings – Broke his hand on Tuesday 14th Jan. Touch and go to play the Super Rugby opener. Worst case he could be gone for 4-6 weeks. Credit Nic Darveniza for this info.
Izack Rodda – Still recovering from a post Rugby World Cup ankle surgery, at risk of missing the start of Super Rugby. Source.
Feao Fotuaika – Still rehabbing his ankle from an off season injury. To our knowledge he should be right for the start of the season, but it is not confirmed.
Scott Malolou – Tore his ACL and had it reconstructed in September. An early return around 9 months would have him only back in June.
Fraser McReight – Had offseason hip surgery but has apparently recovered. Then dislocated his thumb on Tuesday the 14th and is in doubt for the first 3 rounds of Super Rugby. Source.
Filipo Daugunu – Red carded for a tip tackle late in the Reds trial on the 17th of January. Copped a 5 match ban so will miss the first 4 games of the season! Source.
JP Smith – Had a minor surgery to clean up his knee in the off season and wasn’t ready for their trial. Source.
Michael Wood – It sounds like he has cut something significant in his foot in the preason and won’t be back until late March/ April.
Rebels
James Tuttle – Ruptured his Achilles twice! First in October 2018, and again five months into his rehab. He is now aiming to return for round 1 but thinks he will likely be back a few weeks later. Source.
Jordan Uelese – Wessels said he had a hamstring niggle that could take a week or two to get right on the 23rd of Jan. Means he is in doubt for round 1.
Angus Cottrell – Suffered a concussion in the last trial. Will have to go through the return to play protocols to play in round 1.
Ruan Smith – Came off in the last trial after taking a shot to the nose. Unlikely to be too serious.
Waratahs
Ned Hanigan – has been ruled out with concussion and will have to pass return to play protocols to be available for round two against the Blues in Newcastle. Source.
Mack Mason – Limped off the field with a groin strain in the second half of their final trial. Not yet sure of its severity but forwards coach Matt Cockbain said he could be gone a few weeks. Source.
Harry Johsnon-Holmes – Missing round 1 due to illness. Source.
SOUTH AFRICA
Sharks
Werner Kok – Won’t join the Sharks until August 2020. Source.
Stormers
Ramone Samuels – Suffered a bad leg break in 2019. Coach Dobson says his injury is potentially career threatening because his nerve will not regenerate in his ankle. Source.
Pieter-Steph du Toit – Will miss the Super Hero Sunday preseason clash because of a shoulder injury. Dobson says he should be right for round 1. Source.
JD Schickerling – Was 50/50 for for round 1 but now Kitshoff has said he will miss the game. Source.
Cobus Wiese – Missed the Currie Cup with a knee injury. Was 50/50 for for round 1 but now Kitshoff has said he will miss the game. Source.
Daniël du Plessis – Will miss the first few weeks of Super Rugby. Also missed the Currie Cup. Not sure what his injury is. Source.
Bulls
Trevor Nyakane – A torn calf kept him out of Superhero Sunday. Returned to training before the final trial. Unlikely to cost him much game time during the season. Source.
Lizo Gqoboka – Injured through preseason, Returned to training before the final trial. Unlikely to cost him much game time during the season. Source.
Ruan Steenkamp – Picked up a concussion in September and hasn’t played since. Only started contact again at the start of 2020. The Bulls will be very cautious with bringing him back to play. Source.
Warrick Gelant – Sustanied a concussion on Super Hero Sunday. It will now go through his return to play protocols. Source.
Muller Uys – Clashed heads with Kotze and left the field. Expected to fully recover through the week. Source.
Marco van Staden – Out of action for up to six weeks after sustaining a concussion in a preseason warm-up match with UP-Tuks earlier this month. Source.
Lions
Warren Whiteley – Has been ruled out of Super Rugby 2020 due to an ongoing knee injury. He is apparently still on a lot of pain. This sounds a lot like an arthritic or chronically swollen knee. Source.
Malcolm Marx – In the middle of a sabbatical in Japan. Due to return to Super Rugby in June. Source.
Gianni Lombard – Tore his ACL, MCL and meniscus trying step someone in round 10 (April). Will be back by the end of March or early April after taking it slow with his rehab.
Willem Alberts – If he finalises his contract with the Lions then he might still miss the start of the season as he recovers from a bicep (arm) injury.
Johannes Jonker – Expected to return to action by the second week of the competition. Source.
Rhyno Herbst – Got injured in pre season, will be out for some time. No more details yet. Source.
Ross Cronje – Missed Super Hero Sunday with an ankle injury, may require major surgery. Source.
Reinhard Nothnagel – Has a minor concussion, missed Super hero Sunday. Source.
Cyle Brink – Ruptured Achilles tendon, will be gone for around 6 months. Done for the season. Source.
Carlu Sadie – Suffering with concussion, no more details but you’d think the two weeks until round 1 should have him as a relatively safe bet to play. Source.
Darrien Landsberg – Suffering with concussion, no more details but you’d think the two weeks until round 1 should have him as a relatively safe bet to play. Source.
Francke Horn – Grade 2 ankle sprain from Super Hero Sunday. This will keep him out for about 6 weeks on average. Meaning roughly a round 4-5 return. Source.
ARGENTINA/JAPAN
Jaguares
Jerónimo de la Fuente – Tore his left Soleus muscle (calf) at training on the 14th of Jan. Expected to be back in 3 weeks will likely miss round 1. Source.
Matias Alemanno – Will miss the first 3 weeks of the competition with a pec tear. Source.
Sunwolves
Nil
Gone for the season:
Baden Wardlaw (Blues) – Forced to retire before the season due to a chronic neck fusion. Source.
Ricky Jackson (Highlanders) – The hooker will miss the entire SR campaign with an ankle injury and operation. Nathan Vella brought in to replace him. Source.
Have we missed something? Drop a comment or tweet and let us know.
Written by your local rugby nerd Harrison Dale.
Draft Rugby Blog 