A cracked bone in his right hand has left All Blacks first five-eighths Dan Carter in possible doubt for the opening Test of the three-Test series against France.
Carter sustained the injury during the Crusaders Super Rugby match with the Waratahs in Christchurch on Friday night.
While he has been working out with the All Blacks after their assembly in Auckland for the first Test at Eden Park on Saturday, All Blacks coach Steve Hansen said they were waiting to see the full extent of the damage once the swelling has died down. They would make a decision on his availability when the team for the Test is announced on Thursday.
The problem with the swelling was that it was difficult to grip the ball, Hansen said, so if the swelling came down, Carter might be well enough to play.
“We’re very fortunate that we’ve got people like ‘Crudes’ [Aaron Cruden] and Barrett [Beauden] available. They’ve all had the same time together so it won’t be disrupting anything [at training],” Hansen said.
“It’s a game where you are going to get injuries, we’ve just got to accept that and plan for it, and trust the people who come in and do the job.”
Hansen said Carter was in good shape and had never been far from his best in the Super Rugby competition.
“Mentally I don’t think I’ve seen him as sharp and keen for a long time. He’s itching to go, we’ve just got to make sure we let him go at the right time,” he said.
Concerns are also held for the front row with several players suffering niggles to the point where Crusaders prop Joe Moody has been called in as scrummaging cover for the All Blacks during training.
The propping issues were related to hamstrings while Tony Woodcock had an abscess in his nose.
“We’ll make decisions about how those guys are when we get them on the [training] track,” he said.
The injuries weren’t that bad that there would be wholesale changes in the front row and he picked that most of the props would be available for selection.
While there were no other injuries there were some sore players which was to be expected after the players having come out of a hectic Super Rugby competition.
Article source: http://tvnz.co.nz/rugby-news/england-turn-youth-take-barbarians-5447639
Hand injury could nobble Carter
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