Victim of a concussion last Saturday, the All Black Sam Whitelock was forced to forfeit the second test match against Ireland, scheduled for Saturday.
It’s a blow for the player but also for his selection. Victim of a concussion during the first test match which took place just last Saturday, the side of Auckland, the second line of New Zealand Sam Whitelock, now aged 33 and who counts no less than 133 selections to his credit, was forced to forfeit the second test match scheduled against Ireland and scheduled for this Saturday, on the side of Dunedin.
An announcement made this Tuesday by one of the spokespersons for this rugby selection. The coach of New Zealand, namely Ian Foster, therefore loses one of his basic men the most important of its device. For his part, Sam Cane, who is none other than the captain of the All Blacks, recognized that this absence is a real blow for his people. On this subject, and comments reported by theAFPCane thus confided in particular: “ Sammy was impressive last weekend”: “His leadership and what he brings to the field will be missed. »
A decimated second line
On the side of the All Blacks, this second line definitely poses big problems. Indeed, this famous second test match this Saturday against the XV of Clover will also be done without one of the other internationals of this position, namely Tupou Vaa’i, who tested positive for Covid-19. Therefore, reinforcements were called. Just back from a season spent on the side of Japan, Patrick Tuipulotu was called to make up for these absences. This Saturday, against Ireland, Scott Barrett could then leave the third row and move up to the second row, where he is used to playing. On the Irish side, opener Johnny Sexton, who is also the captain of the XV of Clover, will indeed be part of this big meeting, as confirmed by Mike Catt, who is none other than his assistant coach. .
