All Blacks and Blues loose forward Akira Ioane will remain sidelined for at least another two weeks after suffering a medial ligament injury in Super Rugby Pacific’s opening round.
Ioane hobbled around Alexandra Park in a knee brace as the Blues trained on Thursday after sitting out last week’s loss to the Brumbies in Melbourne.
Blues lineout coach Paul Tito confirmed Ioane’s prognosis — MCL injuries usually require six weeks to heal — which realistically could leave the 27-year-old targeting a return against the Chiefs in Hamilton on April 1.
While the Blues are well served at blindside, the blow is an early setback for Ioane’s World Cup hopes as he seeks to impress in a highly-competitive loose forward mix that includes Shannon Frizell, Ethan Blackadder, Blues teammate Hoskins Sotutu and Luke Jacobson among others.
Ioane featured in two of four northern tour tests last November, starting against Scotland and coming off the bench in Cardiff, as the All Blacks finished the year preferring Frizell and Scott Barrett in the blindside role.
“After round one he’s a few weeks away yet,” Tito said of Ioane’s injury against the Highlanders.
“He’s out on the field supporting the boys and doing his bit to make sure he’s sharp and ready to go in round five or six, depending on how his rehab goes.”
Versatile loose forward/lock Tom Robinson seamlessly slotted in to replace Ioane last week, after returning from a long layoff with vertigo, to claim a head-turning try that featured a right foot step and serious pace to beat the Brumbies fullback.
“It’s an opportunity for someone else,” Tito said.
“Tom played six in the weekend and it really helped our defensive lineout so there’s always horses for courses and people adding different things to our group. We need to see more of the same this weekend.”
Despite struggles to impose their starting scrum platform and a lack of physicality at the breakdown against the Brumbies, the Blues have retained an unchanged forward pack for the Hurricanes in Wellington on Saturday — again leaving All Blacks props Nepo Laulala and Alex Hodgman on the bench.
Alongside Ioane, two-test All Blacks wing Mark Telea and veteran prop Ofa Tuʻungafasi are absent due to concussion, with AJ Lam promoted to the right edge.
Clear priorities for the Blues against an improving Hurricanes pack are mending their hefty 17 penalties and two yellow cards last week, and a maul defence that was exposed by conceding two tries.
“We’ve had big discussions around our maul defence this week,” Tito said.
“It’s like a team missing their first five tackles with people coming down your channel. We know teams will look at us and think we’re a bit fragile in that space. We’ve done a lot of research and a lot of detail around how we can be better there. We’re up for the challenge this weekend.
“We’ve got a lot to work on. Our discipline was poor early in that game. You can’t allow a Brumbies team those easy entries into your 22. We know how good they are at the set piece.
“We need to get that right and be more aggressive. You don’t always have to lose to get some lessons but sometimes it’s not a bad thing. We’ll be better for it.”
Ardie Savea’s one-match suspension for his throat-slitting gesture robs the Hurricanes of his influential presence after he scored two tries and laid on another in the tense victory against the Rebels last week.
After coaching the Wellington forwards for two years before joining the Blues this season, Tito is well aware of Savea’s 20-year-old replacement Peter Lakai.
The Hurricanes also welcome one-test All Blacks first five-eighth Brett Cameron back from injury for his debut.
“Ardie is a phenomenal player. He’s played a lot of games for the Hurricanes. He’s their go-to guy and they’ll definitely miss him but they’ve got another guy, Peter Lakai, who I’ve been fortunate to coach in Wellington and he’s pretty good too.
“Whoever they put out they’ll be coming for us. They’ll be physical and challenge our forwards so we need to be on our game.”
Hurricanes v Blues
Saturday, 7.05pm, Sky Stadium in Wellington
Hurricanes: Josh Moorby, Julian Savea, Billy Proctor, Jordie Barrett, Salesi Rayasi, Brett Cameron, Cam Roigard, Peter Lakai, Du’Plessis Kirifi, Devan Flanders, Isaia Walker-Leawere, James Blackwell, Tyrel Lomax, Dane Coles (c), Xavier Numia.
Reserves: Asafo Aumua, Pouri Rakete-Stones, Pasilio Tosi, Caleb Delany, TK Howden, Jamie Booth, Aidan Morgan, Riley Higgins.
Blues: Stephen Perofeta, AJ Lam, Rieko Ioane, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Caleb Clarke, Beauden Barrett, Finlay Christie, Hoskins Sotutu, Dalton Papali’i (c), Tom Robinson, Cameron Suafoa, Patrick Tuipulotu, James Lay, Ricky Riccitelli, Joshua Fusitu’a.
Reserves: Kurt Eklund, Alex Hodgman, Nepo Laulala, James Tucker, Adrian Choat, Taufa Funaki, Bryce Heem, Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens.
