All Blacks back Jack Goodhue needs knee surgery and is likely to miss the rest of the Southern Hemisphere rugby championship after a run-out in provincial rugby at the weekend revealed he had not recovered from a joint injury.
The 27-year-old center was included in Ian Foster’s squad for the Championships but missed both South Africa Tests with recent knee injuries that kept him out of the Test arena for almost two years.
Also missing from the All Blacks squad, which is gathering in Christchurch for the first of two home games against Argentina, are forwards Brodie Retallick, Patrick Tuipulotu, Nepo Laulala and Ofa Tu’ungafasi.
Retallick is on the comeback trail after breaking his cheekbone in the July series against Ireland but could return to the field for Hawke’s Bay in this weekend’s National Provincial Championship (NPC).
His colleague Tuipulotu suffered a neck injury in training on the South Africa tour and will remain in Auckland for treatment, New Zealand Rugby said.
Props Laulala and Tu’ungafasi have recovered from injuries that forced them out of the Tests against South Africa but will remain with their NPC teams.
Injury substitute Fletcher Newell, who made his debut off the bench in New Zealand’s last game against South Africa, will remain in the squad along with Tyrel Lomax, who started the 35-23 win over the Springboks.
Center Braydon Ennor will retain his place in the squad in Goodhue’s continued absence, while Josh Dickson will cover the second row in place of Tuipulotu.
The All Blacks, who lost their first game in South Africa, meet the Pumas in Christchurch on Saturday and Hamilton the following week before completing home and away tests against Australia to round out the championship.