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RNZ News
11 hours ago
- Sport
- RNZ News
All Blacks suffer Wallace Sititi injury blow ahead of France series
Wallace Sititi on the burst against France in 2024. Photo: PHOTOSPORT Loose forward Wallace Sititi has been ruled out of the upcoming three-test series against France with an ankle injury. Sititi, 22, was last year's World Rugby's Breakthrough Player of the Year but played a limited part in the Chiefs' Super Rugby Pacific campaign this season as he recovered from a knee injury he suffered on the All Blacks' 2024 end of year Northern Hemisphere tour. Coach Scott Robertson has called in Crusaders number eight Christian Lio-Willie as Sititi's replacement. A statement from New Zealand Rugby said Sititi "was seen by a surgeon last night regarding a high ankle injury and it has been determined that he will require surgery...a further medical assessment will be made in three weeks to determine his likely return to play." Lio-Willie was already with the squad as injury cover for Luke Jacobson. Blues loose forward Dalton Papali'I has now been called in to replace Lio-Willie as injury cover for Jacobson. The All Blacks kick off their test series against against France in Dunedin on 5 July. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
CNA
11 hours ago
- Sport
- CNA
All Blacks forward Sititi ruled out of France series
All Blacks loose forward Wallace Sititi is to undergo surgery on an ankle injury and will miss the three-test series against France in July, the team said on Thursday. The 22-year-old number eight, who was World Rugby's Breakthrough Player of the Year in 2024, will be replaced in the squad by Christian Lio-Willie. Lio-Willie, who is uncapped, was already with the squad as injury cover for Luke Jacobson so openside flanker Dalton Papali'i has now been called up to fill that role. New Zealand host France in the opening test in Dunedin on July 5 before further clashes in Wellington and Hamilton on the following weekends.
Reuters
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Reuters
All Blacks forward Sititi ruled out of France series
June 26 (Reuters) - All Blacks loose forward Wallace Sititi is to undergo surgery on an ankle injury and will miss the three-test series against France in July, the team said on Thursday. The 22-year-old number eight, who was World Rugby's Breakthrough Player of the Year in 2024, will be replaced in the squad by Christian Lio-Willie. Lio-Willie, who is uncapped, was already with the squad as injury cover for Luke Jacobson so openside flanker Dalton Papali'i has now been called up to fill that role. New Zealand host France in the opening test in Dunedin on July 5 before further clashes in Wellington and Hamilton on the following weekends.
RNZ News
23-05-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Super Rugby Pacific: Crusaders overcome Highlanders in Christchurch thriller
Tamaiti Williams scores the winning try during the Crusaders v Highlanders, Super Rugby Pacific match, Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch. Photo: Joseph Johnson/ActionPress The Highlanders' play-off hopes are done after a 15-12 loss to the Crusaders in Christchurch. This was despite having enough possession, territory and shots at goal to win the game several times over - which is the second weekend in a row that's happened. Not that the Crusaders will mind, although there will be some sore bodies after they were forced to make a monumental number of tackles from start to finish. In the end, it was big Tamaiti Williams who was the hero for the home side, smashing his way over from a lineout drive with seven minutes to play in what was really the only opportunity the Crusaders had in the whole second half. It left time for a frantic finish, with the Highlanders first denied by a brilliant turnover on his own line by Christian Lio-Willie, then Cam Millar shanked a relatively simple shot at goal to send the game to extra time. In a way it was somewhat fitting that the game finished that way, as poor goal kicking had been a theme for the Highlanders all night. Earlier, Taine Robinson had sprayed a conversion and clanked a penalty into the posts, before being relieved by Millar only for the replacement to miss from halfway. Earlier, Sevu Reece broke the Super Rugby try scoring record with one of the least aesthetically pleasing efforts of his prolific career, relying on the TMO to confirm that he'd grazed the line off a pick and go from about an inch out from the tryline. Jonah Lowe answered back just on the break, which was just reward for a very busy performance, but really he should've had at least one more and the Highlanders the lead at the break. Robinson scored an excellent set piece try off a lineout after halftime, but that was as good as the Highlanders got as far as scoring went. Jamie Joseph's side now host the Chiefs next weekend in a game that they will need to win to avoid coming last, which is deeply disappointing either way considering how good they looked after the first few games this year. Meanwhile, this result puts the Crusaders back on top of the table for now, however the Chiefs can take it back tomorrow night with a bonus point win over Moana Pasifika. Read how the game unfolded with RNZ's live blog:
