All Blacks without Savea, Laulala for first Wallabies test
WELLINGTON: All Blacks No 8 Ardie Savea and prop Nepo Laulala are on paternity leave and will miss the Rugby Championship opener against Australia next weekend, coach Ian Foster said yesterday.
Both were absent when the squad boarded their flight a to Australia yesterday.
But Joe Moody was in the party and Foster was upbeat about the experienced prop being fit to play at Sydney’s Olympic
Stadium next Sunday.
‘‘Ardie’s baby boy has arrived, so he’ll be joining us late this week,’’ Foster said.
‘‘Nep’s baby hasn’t been born yet, so we’ll let that happen first and then we’ll plan accordingly.
‘‘But at this stage, the plan is that they’re both ready and available for the second [test] over there.’’
New Zealand could secure the Bledisloe Cup for the 18th straight year if it can avoid defeat in Sydney next weekend after a 1616 draw in Wellington two weeks ago and last Sunday’s 277 victory in Auckland.
Hoskins Sotutu is the most obvious candidate to replace Savea for what doubles as the
Rugby Championship opener after coming off the bench in those tests.
But Foster said Akira Ioane and uncapped Cullen Grace (20) were also in the frame.
Sotutu ‘‘has done the job that we’ve given him really, really well,’’ Foster said.
‘‘So I guess now we’ve just got to go back and have a look and say, ‘Well, do we keep him in that role or do we change a few things around?’’’
Tighthead Laulala also came off the bench at Eden Park, but Foster’s main front row concern will be at loosehead after Moody suffered a concussion last week.
‘‘We haven’t actually been able to put him through any rugby training yet, but the signs are really positive,’’ Foster said. — Reuters