All Blacks back to miss entire Super Rugby campaign
Braydon Ennor of the Crusaders during the Round 1 Trans-Tasman Super Rugby match between the Canterbury Crusaders and ACT Brumbies at Orangetheory Stadium in Christchurch.
All Blacks and Crusaders centre Braydon Ennor is set to miss the entire 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season, the club have confirmed.
The 26-year-old missed out on his chance to secure a place in the 2023 Rugby World Cup squad after sustaining an injury in the Bledisloe Cup Test in Dunedin and has suffered yet another setback.
Crusaders lose All Blacks centre to injury
In that clash with the Wallabies, Ennor sustained an ACL injury and subsequently underwent knee reconstruction.
However, the Crusaders state that he developed an infection that will keep him sidelined for the entire Super Rugby season.
“Not the news we like to share, but unfortunately, Braydon Ennor has been ruled of the Super Rugby Pacific 2024,” the Crusaders’ official account posted on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.
“While he won’t take to the field, we know he will help the team off it.”
The club provided further details in a statement on their website.
“Braydon Ennor injured his knee in August while playing in the All Blacks versus Australia Bledisloe test in Dunedin,” the statement read.
“He underwent ACL reconstruction the same month and, unfortunately, he developed an infection in his knee which affected the early stages of his rehab.
“While the infection was successfully treated, his expected return to play has been altered as a result. He will return to play in the second half of 2024.”
The talented back has had a cruel run of injuries, including another ACL injury back in 2020 when featuring in the North v South Island match.
Crotty’s return
While his injury is a blow to the side, new head coach Rob Penney has already signed a potential replacement in former All Blacks centre Ryan Crotty.
The 35-year-old returns to the Crusaders after a four-year stint in Japan with the Kubota Spears.
“Japan was great, a really good experience, but it felt like time to come home,” Crotty said in a statement confirming his signing for the 2024 season.
“Young family life, you know, it’s so precious to spend more time with the kids – they didn’t travel with me to Japan for that last season, so I’m hugely grateful to be here.”
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