Blues reel as SBW breaks wrist
IF the Blues are going to turn their Super Rugby season around, it will be without All Blacks midfielder Sonny Bill Williams.
The Auckland-based franchise confirmed that Williams had suffered a fractured wrist in their most recent defeat, 37-20 to the Stormers in Cape Town last weekend, and he will miss between six and eight weeks of the competition.
The Blues second-five had made a mixed bag of a start to the new season, but his presence will be sorely missed as the Tana Umaga-coached side look to turn round a poor opening month, that has seen them suffer three defeats in their first four matches.
He has been working on establishing a new midfield combination alongside All Blacks wing Rieko Ioane, but Umaga’s plans there will have to be rethought with Williams set to sit out the next month-and-a-half, at least.
The injury will also leave Williams short on lead-in time ahead of the All Blacks’ June international series against France.
Depending on his recovery time, he could be back on the field either at the start of May, or in the middle, which could leave him just a few weeks’ play before the French arrive.
The setbacks didn’t stop there either for the Blues, who have had a bye week to lick their wounds after their disappointing performance in Cape Town.
They have also lost grafting lock Scott Scrafton for the remainder of the season with a serious knee injury, to both his ACL and LCL.
Umaga’s men will resume their campaign with a must-win Easter Saturday showdown against the Sharks at Eden Park.
They are rooted to the bottom of the New Zealand conference with six points from their single win (over the Lions in Johannesburg) and three defeats, to the Highlanders, Chiefs and Stormers.