WELLINGTON, May 19 – All Black inside centre Ma'a Nonu is likely to miss the home Tests against Ireland and Wales in June after rupturing a ligament in his knee.Nonu was injured playing for the Wellington Hurricanes in their season-ending Super 14 defeat against the New South Wales Waratahs on Friday.
He will not require surgery but is not expected to return to training for six weeks, the Hurricanes said Wednesday in a statement.
That would rule the hard-running back out of a Test against Ireland on June 12 and Tests against Wales on June 19 and 26. He may also be in doubt for the opening Tri-Nations clash against South Africa in Auckland on July 10.
Nonu’s sidelining adds to All Blacks’ coach Graham Henry’s woes, after first-choice hooker Andrew Hore injured his shoulder playing for the Hurricanes on Friday, putting him out of the game for up to six months.
Lock Ali Williams and winger Sitiveni Sivivatu are likely to miss the rest of the year and other squad candidates Corey Flynn, Tom Donnelly, Jason Eaton and Mike Delany are currently injured.