Injured All Black to miss half of Super season
INJURY UPDATE: Injured All Blacks flank Sam Cane will miss more than half the Super Rugby season as he continues a long recovery from a broken neck, his team said Tuesday.
Cane was Tuesday again named co-captain of the Chiefs, this year in partnership with Brodie Retallick, but the team said in a statement he was unlikely to take the field until late April.
The openside flank broke his neck in a collision with South African Francois Louw during the All Blacks’ 32-30 win over the Springboks in Pretoria last October.
Doctors said he suffered a fractured vertebrae but escaped nerve damage that would have had more severe consequences.
Cane, who only resumed light jogging earlier this month, is now in a race against time to be fully fit for the All Blacks opening Rugby Championship Test against South Africa on July 27.
The Wellington Test will effectively be a dress rehearsal for the much-anticipated opening pool match at the Rugby World Cup in Japan two months later.
The 2019 Super Rugby season kicks off on February 15 with the Chiefs hosting the Highlanders in the opening game.
Agence France-Presse
Super Rugby 2019 – RETURNS FEB 15#SuperRugby #SR2019 pic.twitter.com/Xi6KKqyLeB
— Super Rugby (@SuperRugby) January 22, 2019
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