Ex-All Black suffers ‘serious injury’ doing bronco at his new French club – report
Dalton Papali'i in action for the All Backs in 2023 and, inset, earlier this year for the Blues
Former All Blacks back-rower Dalton Papali’i has suffered a disastrous start to his new club adventure in France, with reports emerging that he has suffered a season-ruining Achilles injury.
The 28-year-old won the last of his 37 Test caps in July 2025 versus France in Hamilton. A subsequent falling-out with then-New Zealand head coach Scott Robertson led the forward to accept an offer to join Castres Olympique.
Papali’i finished up his time at the Blues last month, missing the Auckland-based franchise’s Super Rugby Pacific semi-final loss to the Hurricanes with a jaw problem. However, his injury profile has considerably worsened during his first week training with his new French club.
With Castres’ 2025/26 Top 14 campaign ending on June 6, they returned for pre-season training on Monday, and their preparations for the new campaign have already suffered a disastrous blow with Papali’i pulling up lame on Tuesday – the club’s bronco day.
“Off to a very bad start…”
Taking part in a session that was said to be held in intense heat, the New Zealander was believed to have ruptured his Achilles. Tests are scheduled for Wednesday to confirm the extent of the injury, but it is feared that Papali’i will require an operation followed by a long period of rehabilitation.
A report on rugbyrama.fr read: “While the Castres Olympique players underwent the traditional bronco test on Tuesday, Dalton Papali’i suffered a serious injury. The New Zealand international is believed to have ruptured his Achilles tendon. His season is already over.
“Castres’ pre-season is off to a very bad start. While players and staff met on Monday to kick off the 2026/27 season, the infamous bronco test was on the agenda for Tuesday.
“This traditional exercise is used to assess the participants’ physical condition. Unfortunately, an event has cast a shadow over the situation. Papali’i, Castres’ star signing, has reportedly suffered a serious injury.
“The diagnosis for the 37-cap All Black is said to be definitive: a ruptured Achilles tendon. While further tests are still needed to confirm the diagnosis, pessimism reigns in the Tarn region.
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“As a result, the former Blues player will almost certainly require surgery and then embark on a long period of rehabilitation. For this type of injury, the expected recovery time is around nine months, or even longer. The flanker’s season is already in jeopardy.”
Papali’i was considered one of the best-ever signings that Castres had made, but he now faces missing most or all of the upcoming 2026/27 campaign.
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It was last February, at the start of the 2026 Super Rugby season, when the French club confirmed the New Zealander would be joining them on a three-year deal. Speaking about the move, he said: “I’ve reached the maturity necessary to have such an experience, to adapt to a different style of rugby and embark on a new adventure while contributing fully to the team.
“I know the club’s history; I know that several All Blacks have preceded me at Castres, such as Kees Meeuws, Carl Hoeft, Chris Masoe and, more recently, Jack Goodhue and Gary Whetton, with whom I’ve had a long conversation.
“It’s a city passionate about its club and offers a family-oriented environment. It’s also a club that loves taking on challenges. All of that suits me.”
