Big Bird swoops in for Canty as Whitelock out
Finding someone to chat with in the gym shouldn’t be problematic for Luke Whitelock as he fights to be fit for the Mitre 10 Cup playoffs.
With props Owen Franks (Achilles tendon) and Joe Moody (shoulder) already ruled out for the remainder of the All Blacks’ season, and another international, Israel Dagg (knee), in major doubt for the remainder of the test window, Rugby Park in Christchurch could be humming with athletes in rehabilitation mode.
Yesterday, Canterbury coach Glenn Delaney confirmed his captain and No 8 Whitelock, who damaged the medial ligament in his knee when hefty Counties-Manukau prop Pauliasi Manu landed on him at AMI Stadium a couple of days earlier, is in danger of not playing again this year.
‘‘This type of injury is usually four to six weeks recovery time,’’ Delaney said.
‘‘So we’re hopeful that Luke may be available again before the end of our season, but that depends on both his recovery and how far we go in this competition.’’
There was no sign of Whitelock at Rugby Park but Franks was sighted, his lower leg bound up following the operation on his Achilles tendon last week. Moody was scheduled to have an operation on the shoulder he dislocated in the All Blacks’ win over the Pumas last weekend, while Crusaders team-mate Dagg is yet to declare how he will fix the knee that continues to cause him grief.
Given Canterbury have won their first five games, and pulverised Counties 78-5 in the most recent outing, it seems safe to say they are a decent shot of making the premiership semifinals on October 20-21. That gives Whitelock five weeks to get back to full fitness.
Time to move on. Such is the frantic nature of this competition, Canterbury’s next match against Wellington in the capital tomorrow is now the focus.
Back in the days when the provincial competition wasn’t so compressed, making nine changes to face Wellington seemed unthinkable. Not in the present. Delaney has to rotate his players, in addition to replacing the wounded Whitelock with Reed Prinsep.
New skipper, lock Dominic Bird, last captained a team when he played for his Lincoln University club three years ago. As the boss, he is cautious about not getting too lippy.
‘‘I will just be looking to keep it cool and calm; sometimes I can get a little bit heated but I amjust going to do my job and that’s it,’’ Bird, 26, said.
Canterbury, metaphorically speaking, are expected to take the wooden spoon to Wellington. Although they will have All Blacks wing Julian Savea as skipper, and have won four of their five games, they are facing a red and black side that has been firing along nicely.
Even with all the changes, Canterbury have seven Super Rugby players in their forward pack; with Mitchell Drummond and Richie Mo’unga rested, Ere Enari and Brett Cameron are the decision-makers at No 9 and 10.
Bird is the only All Black in the side. He earned his most recent cap - his second - against Scotland in Edinburgh in late 2014. Getting called up for an All Blacks training camp in July was a carrot he appreciated.
‘‘There was a real boost in morale, knowing you are kind of there or thereabouts. A good compliment. It is still a goal.’’