ALL Blacks winger Caleb Clarke is set to miss up to eight weeks due to a high ankle injury, potentially ruling him out of part of the Rugby Championship.
The injury forced him out of the second Test against France in Wellington, with coach Scott Robertson confirming the extended layoff.
Robertson said, “He could be probably six to eight (weeks). It is a good ankle injury. Shame for him. Really gutted.”
Clarke was initially named as a replacement for the concussed Sevu Reece but was later withdrawn. Reece has since cleared concussion protocols and is available for the third Test in Hamilton.
The All Blacks will face Argentina in their first two Rugby Championship matches on August 16 and 23. Clarke’s absence opens the door for Emoni Narawi, who impressed in Wellington as New Zealand sealed the series with a 43-17 win.
Lock-turned-flanker Tupou Vaa’i will also miss the Hamilton Test after failing a concussion test. However, loose forward Luke Jacobson and prop Tyrel Lomax are back in contention after recovering from injuries.
With the series already won, Robertson may rotate his squad, giving opportunities to fringe players like George Bower, Brodie McAlister, Noah Hotham, Ruben Love, and Anton Lienert-Brown.
Robertson emphasised the importance of squad depth, saying, “We want to create depth – to get four deep, as I’ve mentioned before.” – Reuters
