The knock not only ruled him out of the second test, but after the two concussions he had suffered while playing for the Highlanders leading up to the series, left his career in jeopardy.
And it's not just rugby, either. The football world was recently introduced to the worrying effects of concussion on the grandest club stage off all.
The debate rose to the fore since the Champions League Final last month in which Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius made two game-changing errors.
Liverpool went on to lose to Real Madrid and Karius bore the brunt of the blame. It was later found that he had suffered a concussion in an earlier collision.
Doctors are now calling for the introduction of "concussion bins". The new system would allow players to exit the pitch for a period of up to 10 minutes if they are suspected of having suffered a concussion.
A temporary substitute would be able to come on during that time as the injured player is treated by an independent doctor.
Fortunately, due to its more physical nature, rugby has already taken huge steps in protecting players.
But, in truth, there is no way to fully rid the game of head injuries. We can manipulate tackling rules and stand players down for recovery, but the risk is still there.
As we learn more about the effects of concussions, physical sports will inevitably suffer.
Whether it be athletes putting their health before the mighty dollar like former San Francisco 49ers linebacker Chris Borland, who was one of the first NFL players to retire early due to concerns over head injuries inherent to the sport, or parents turning their children away from playing contact sports.
But this is the price those sports will have to pay for the greater good.
After all, unlike a knee or a hip, the mind cannot be replaced.
