All Blacks: Scott Robertson provides update on Barrett brothers and other injured stars
The Barrett brothers, Scott and Beauden, (inset) and All Blacks coach Scott Robertson.
All Blacks head coach Scott Robertson has revealed that star fly-half Beauden Barrett will need “a few weeks” to recover from a broken hand which ruled him out of Saturday’s victory over France in Hamilton.
Barrett broke the same hand during the Blues’ Super Rugby Pacific campaign earlier this year and spent about about six weeks on the sidelines.
Despite sustaining the same injury again, Robertson is confident that the 34-year-old and his brother – All Blacks skipper Scott Barrett, who missed the Test victories over Les Bleus in Wellington and Hamilton due to a calf injury – will both be fit for the start of the Rugby Championship in four weeks time.
The All Blacks kick off their Rugby Championship campaign against Argentina in Cordoba on August 17 before facing the same opposition in Buenos Aires seven days later.
“Beauden’s going well. That was one of the reasons we pulled him out this week, to give him every chance to be available for that game,” Robertson told journalists on Sunday.
‘That rest has been great for him’
“Scott Barrett’s tracking really well. That rest has been great for him and in the last week he has been training, so he will be available for Argentina.”
Meanwhile, Robertson also had positive news on 2024 World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year Wallace Sititi, who missed all three of the All Blacks’ Tests against France due to an ankle injury.
“Wally is good,” revealed the coach. “He has recovered well, as we know he does. He is on track (for Argentina) as well.”
Eight players who were part of the All Blacks’ 33-man squad for the Test series against Les Bleus were unavailable for selection for Saturday’s final Test at FMG Stadium Waikato, while star front-row Tyrel Lomax and back-up scrum-half Noah Hotham sustained injuries during the match.
Robertson believes a big reason for the heavy injury toll was the fact that Les Bleus brought more physicality than the players in the All Blacks squad would have been used to from Super Rugby.
“They’re big bodies the French. They just play differently. They defend differently,” he added.
‘The physical side of it is different’
“When you have got big bodies in that style that you just don’t get that chance to play that often, the physical side of it is different.”
Lomax was sent to hospital for scans on a possible broken thumb, while Hotham sustained a high ankle sprain and would also need scans to determine the full extent of his injury.
Meanwhile, versatile back-row Luke Jacobson was a late withdrawal ahead of Saturday’s Test – which the All Blacks won 29-19 – after injuring his quad in the warm-up when he was set to make his first appearance of the year at number eight.
Of the other players in the All Blacks squad, winger Caleb Clarke (ankle) and prop Tamaiti Williams (knee) look set to miss the matches against Argentina but could be fit for the two Tests against South Africa in New Zealand early in September.
