All Blacks sweating on locks for Ireland series

Sam Whitelock is now a doubt for the series with a broken thumb.

Sun, 19 Jun, 2022 - 18:17

Cian Locke

NEW Zealand have a problem or two looming in the second row ahead of their three-test series against Ireland next month with Sam Whitelock now a doubt with a broken thumb.

Whitelock played in the Crusaders' impressive 21-7 Super Rugby (Pacific) final win on Saturday in Auckland but afterwards coach Scott Robertson confirmed his talisman had played the match with a hand injury.

"He's got an incredible capacity to play through pain…to play with a broken thumb," Robertson said. "Last week he definitely wasn't right because he never says he's not right and he sort of hesitated. This week he was so on. He was a commander-general. He worked so well with Scott Barrett. The performance was a throwback to his best."

But the 33-year-old is now facing a race against time to be fit for the first test in a three-match series against Ireland, starting at Eden Park in Auckland on July 2.

Whitelock's injury could cause a rethink for All Blacks coach Ian Foster after fellow lock Josh Lord suffered a ACL rupture last week. The All Blacks initially named five locks in their 36-man squad with Whitelock and Lord joined by Crusaders skipper Barrett and Chiefs pair Brodie Retallick and Tupou Vaa'i.

However despite confirmation of the severity of Lord's injury, Foster's management opted against bringing in a replacement player. The first test in Auckland will be followed by games at the Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin and Sky Stadium in Wellington.