Injuries impact Super Rugby; Reds ride a wave of form
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The Super Rugby season is only five rounds old. Yet, with less than a third of the regular season over injuries are already becoming a major factor.
Prior to the weekend’s fifth round, 67 players across the 11 teams were unavailable because of injuries.
The injury toll is particularly high among the five New Zealand teams which had 40 players out of action.
The Blues, who lost 32-31 to the Chiefs on Saturday after missing a late conversion, are particularly hard-hit with 11 players on the injured list. That includes All Blacks Beauden Barrett, Hoskins Sotutu and Sam Darry.
The Chiefs had eight players out of action this round, including All Blacks Wallace Sititi and Josh Lord but were fortunate to have flyhalf Damien McKenzie back from injury. His performance was influential.
The Queensland Reds had eight players out while Hurricanes, Waratahs and Western Force were without seven players. The Fijian Drua are the only team that reported no injuries before the round.
On the cardsFans’ occasional bafflement at the implementation of rules around head contact was evident in two incidents in Friday’s match between the Highlanders and Hurricanes.
In the first, Hurricanes midfielder Ngatungane Punivai was knocked unconscious attempting to tackle Highlanders winger Timoci Tavatavanawai. As Punivai was led dazed from the field he was also surprised to learn he had been yellow-carded.
The referee was apologetic and technically correct. Punivai hadn’t altered his body position sufficiently in the tackle to mitigate the possibility of head contact.
While Tavatavanawai had also driven his shoulder into Punivai’s face the responsibility to avoid head contact lies with the tackler.
In the second, Hurricanes midfielder Peter Umaga-Jensen made a high tackle on Highlanders wing Caleb Tangitau in the last moments of the game as the Highlanders tried to turn around a 20-18 deficit. A penalty might have changed the outcome.
But the referee didn’t see it and the TMO was unable to bring it to his attention because, he deemed, it didn’t reach the yellow card threshold.
Springer the wingerWinger Macca Springer produced the outstanding individual performance of the fifth round when he scored five tries in the Crusaders’ 55-33 win over the Western Force.
The 21-year old equaled Super Rugby’s single-match try-scoring record set in 2021 by the late Chiefs winger Sean Wainui.
Springer hasn’t been a regular starter for the Crusaders but was given his chance on the left wing Saturday by head coach Rob Penney who said he had been energetic in training.
His fourth try came when he kicked ahead, recovered his own kick and eluded a defender to score. The fifth saw him trapped in a tight pocket near the left touchline. He managed to step infield and drive through tackles to score.
“The last one, I had to have a little bit of a laugh at myself,” Springer said. “I looked at (fellow winger Sevu Reece) and he was laughing at me. It was more a surreal laugh. It wasn’t a laughing matter but I just couldn’t believe it myself.”
Red letter dayThe Queensland Reds became the top Australian team when they moved into third place with a 35-15 win over traditional rivals the New South Wales Waratahs.
The Waratahs had been confident ahead of the match after winning home games against the Highlanders, the Fijian Drua and the Force. They also started well against the Reds, scoring the first try of the match through winger Triston Reilly.
The match turned when Waratahs fullback Andrew Kellaway received a yellow card for a dangerous tackle on Harry Wilson. Reds fullback Heremaia Murray took advantage of Kellaway’s absence to score a chip-and-chase try.
The derby match was typically physical and the Reds gradually gained the edge with tries to Wilson, then Richie Asiata who scored from a rolling maul. Fraser McReight dummied Kellaway to score early in the second half and lock Angus Blyth scored to put the game beyond doubt.
“I thought it was a cracker of a match,” Reds head coach Les Kiss said. “They came at us early, scored early and we had to hold the fort.
“We weren’t very tidy early, they were on top of us but we kept hanging in there. I thought it was a cracker.”
___
AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
Topics
-
Crusaders winger Macca Springer scores 5 tries to match Super Rugby single match record
Crusaders winger Macca Springer tied the Super Rugby single game try-scoring record Saturday when he scored five tries in his team’s 55-33 win over the Western Force. Springer matched the record ...Yahoo Sports - 1d -
76ers' Paul George reportedly consulting with doctors on groin, knee injuries; surgery among options
George has played in only 41 games and averaged under 17 points per game this season due to injuries.Yahoo Sports - 2d -
Angel Reese will miss her team's Unrivaled semifinal matchup due to a hand injury
Angel Reese will miss her team's Unrivaled semifinal matchup on Sunday because of a hand injury, the league announced Saturday. Reese, who has played for Rose BC during the inaugural season of the ...Yahoo Sports - 10h -
2025 NFL mock draft: Justin Fields, Sam Darnold get help from new teams; Shedeur Sanders falls out of Round 1
Let's see how the first wave of free agency impacts Round 1CBS Sports - 3d -
Lions watch: Kinghorn & Chessum star but Lawrence injury blow
After an entertaining penultimate round of the Six Nations, BBC Sport looks at the Lions selection battle across three areas.BBC News - 5d -
No. 1 Duke rules out Cooper Flagg and Maliq Brown with injuries for ACC semifinal vs. UNC
Cooper Flagg and Maliq Brown have been ruled out for No. 1 Duke's game against North Carolina in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament on Friday night because of injuries. Both players were ...Yahoo Sports - 1d -
Free Agency: Cowboys sign 2nd-round WR after Super Bowl championship stint with Eagles
Parris Campbell is the latest early-round draft pick to try relaunching their career in Dallas. The Ohio State star won a Super Bowl with Philly.Yahoo Sports - 10h -
Bethune on Spirit roster after freak pitching injury
Washington Spirit midfielder Croix Bethune has been removed from the season-ending injury list and added to the team's active roster, although she is listed as questionable for Friday's NWSL opener ...ESPN - 1d -
Flames: No Update On Captain's Injury
Not only did the Calgary Flames lose to the Vancouver Canucks 4-3 in a shootout, but they lost their captain Mikael Backlund to an upper body injury in the first period.Yahoo Sports - 2d
More from Yahoo Sports
-
Murray State and Belmont play for MVC Championship
Yahoo Sports - 17m -
Murray State and Belmont play for MVC Championship
Yahoo Sports - 17m -
Lando Norris holds off Max Verstappen in chaotic Australian GP finish
Lando Norris stayed cool to win a wonderfully chaotic, rain-affected season opener in Australia from Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Mercedes’ George Russell, the Briton answering a fair few ...Yahoo Sports - 23m -
Arsenal vs Chelsea – Predicted lineup and team news
Arsenal and Chelsea meet in a London derby of huge consequence in the Premier League this weekend.Arsenal’s title challenge has faltered after three without a win and the Gunners are in danger of ...Yahoo Sports - 30m -
Seahawks sign former Saints cornerback Shemar Jean-Charles
The Seahawks have added some depth to their secondary and a contributor on special teams.Yahoo Sports - 31m
More in Sports
-
Men's Bracketology: The Mountain West will see four teams -- for now
Colorado State beat Boise State for the Mountain West title, and automatic bid. This is good news for Indiana.ESPN - 12m -
Murray State and Belmont play for MVC Championship
Yahoo Sports - 17m -
Murray State and Belmont play for MVC Championship
Yahoo Sports - 17m -
Lando Norris holds off Max Verstappen in chaotic Australian GP finish
Lando Norris stayed cool to win a wonderfully chaotic, rain-affected season opener in Australia from Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and Mercedes’ George Russell, the Briton answering a fair few ...Yahoo Sports - 23m -
Arsenal vs Chelsea – Predicted lineup and team news
Arsenal and Chelsea meet in a London derby of huge consequence in the Premier League this weekend.Arsenal’s title challenge has faltered after three without a win and the Gunners are in danger of ...Yahoo Sports - 30m