Injury-plagued All Blacks call up cover ahead of France Test
INJURY UPDATE: The All Blacks called up injury cover for their forward pack Monday as the world champions’ sick list grows ahead of the first Test against France on Saturday.
Locks Luke Romano and Tom Franklin, along with loose forward Matt Todd were called into the New Zealand camp in Auckland.
Romano and Franklin are set to replace Brodie Retallick, who has a torn pectoral muscle, and Samuel Whitelock, who is struggling to shake off concussion.
“I can’t say anything definite about Brodie, other than he won’t be playing Saturday,” coach Steve Hansen said, adding he was still hopeful Whitelock would start.
Todd will stand in for Sam Cane if an abdominal strain prevents the flanker from playing against France.
There are also question marks over the fitness of Jordan Taufua, Jack Goodhue and Ryan Crotty, while Kieran Read, Sonny Bill Williams, Patrick Tuipulotu and Dane Coles are all out of the series.
In some good news for the New Zealanders, Liam Squire has been cleared to play after the SANZAAR judiciary threw out a striking charge against him.
The judiciary found Wellington Hurricanes scrumhalf Thomas Perenara fell just as Squire committed to a tackle and dismissed the charge.
Agence France-Presse
