Another injury blow for Dagg
A dinged-up Israel Dagg must undergo medical assessments before finding how long it will be until he can again challenge for an All Blacks jersey.
It took a split second for wing Dagg to suffer a significant setback to his comeback aspirations from a long-term knee injury, the result of being poleaxed by Chance Peni during the Crusaders’ 21-8 win over the Brumbies in Canberra on Saturday night.
Dagg, who made his first Super Rugby appearance of the year against the Sunwolves on April 21, suffered concussion and a knee injury when he fell awkwardly after Peni whacked him around the head in an ugly tackle.
The 66-test outside back was always going to return to Christchurch after the match at GIO Stadium, because wife Daisy is due to give birth to their second child. But Dagg never planned on having another scan on his knee – the same one he had stem cell therapy on during his lengthy rehabilitation last year.
‘‘With Daisy expecting their second baby, he was going to go home anyway,’’ Crusaders coach Scott Robertson said. ‘‘Our thoughts are with him, because he has worked so bloody hard to get back and now we just hope it is only a little tweak and that he is only out for a few weeks.’’
Peni, who was yellow carded by referee Jaco Peyper, made several attempts to apologise to Dagg as he lay writhing in pain on the grass but this may not be the end of the matter. The Sanzaar citing commissioner has since deemed Peni’s actions met the red card threshold for foul play, and the incident will be considered by the review committee.
Dagg won’t lack company in the Crusaders’ injury ward. While the squad travelled from Canberra to Sydney, All Blacks lock Luke Romano was in the Garden City waiting to hear how long a high ankle sprain will force him to stay on the sidelines.
Romano suffered the injury in training before the game against the Brumbies, and could potentially be out for a significant spell; his chances of being fit for the All Blacks’ series against France in June appear remote.
‘‘It is not broken, as we first thought, and he will get an MRI scan on Monday to find exactly what the problem is,’’ Robertson confirmed.
All Blacks loosehead prop Tim Perry also pulled a hamstring in the opening minutes in Canberra, and Harry Allen has been asked to join the squad as cover. Matt Dunsea will replace Romano.