Blues have 18 out with injury
DO not take your boots up to the top half of the North Island this week — chances are you could get a a call to play Super Rugby.
The Blues are due to take on the Highlanders at Eden Park on Friday night and are busy scouring for players as half of their squad are on the injury list
Down the road, the Chiefs are also suffering from a lack of players with all six of the starting props named in the squad out injured.
The Chiefs head to Brisbane this weekend to take on the Reds.
The Blues have 18 players not available for the game on Friday night and continue a search for replacements. Five of those injured players are out for the season.
The latest to join the walking wounded for the Blues are Otago fullback Michael Collins, who has broken a bone in his hand and will be out for about five weeks, and Northland lock Josh Goodhue, out for up to a month with an AC joint injury.
Both suffered the injuries in the weekend win over the Sunwolves in Tokyo.
With seven midfield and outside backs out of action, the Blues promoted Northland winger Jordan Hyland after some strong performances for the Blues development side.
He made the most of his opportunities with two tries against the Sunwolves on debut.
New Zealand under20 representative Orbyn Leger, initially called in preseason as a shortterm replacement, has not only remained, but impressed with his starting debut in Japan, coming in with both Sonny Bill Williams and George Moala injured.
The other to receive a late callup was young Auckland lock Ben Neenee, who made his debut in Japan, and is likely to be called on again with locks Scott Scrafton, Gerard CowleyTuioti and now Goodhue on the injured list.
Those gone for the season include centre George Moala, who has suffered a chest injury and has more than likely played his last game in New Zealand, as he joins French rugby later in the year.
Flanker Glenn Preston is also gone for the season with a groin issue while Scrafton has a leg injury and is out for the season.
Southland midfield back Matt Johnson has heart issues and has had surgery and will miss the rest of the season.
Otere Black was the big signing for the Blues but the first fiveeighth injured his knee in the domestic season last year and will not be sighted for the Blues this season.
Other key players who will not front on Friday night are Sonny Bill Williams (wrist), Augustine Pulu (foot) and Jerome Kaino (hamstring)
Player depth is being tested right around the country, Blues coach Tana Umaga said.
‘‘It seems all the New Zealand Super teams are suffering from a high attrition rate and we are no different,’’ he said.
‘‘It is testing our depth and our resources but at the same time it is giving opportunities to others.
‘‘It is challenging to build momentum when we are changing so many players and now bringing in new faces but we are fortunate that our development team coaches have done such a great job with the next layer of players.’’
The Highlanders, by contrast, have no major injury concerns.
The only injured players they have are loose forward Liam Squire (thumb), and midfield backs Richard Buckman (neck) and Thomas UmagaJensen.
Squire should be back in three weeks although return dates for Buckman and UmagaJensen are less certain.
Both sides name their teams today.